Highschool DXD: Shadows
by thisissupposedtobeblank
Summary: Trouble is brewing in Japan as demons, fallen angels, and exorcists gather around Kuoh Academy. Fearing potential warfare, the Shinto faction has a young ninja infiltrate the school to keep tabs on everyone. Join Kurotani Rokudou observing from the shadows as the adventures of a certain Sekiryuutei throw the world into chaos.
1. Watchers of the Go-home Club: Prologue

Prologue:

"Onii-sama, don't go!"

"Kunou! Let go!"

"No, I want you to stay!"

"Uh, Yasaka-sama? A little help, please?" I ask the gorgeous blonde-haired bombshell that I had the pleasure of working for. Frankly, I'd work for free if it meant I could work in the same vicinity of this goddess, not that I'd ever say no to some cash.

"Hmm? Kunou, you little baby, come here," Yasaka tells her only daughter. "Leave Rokkun alone." She then starts tugging the little girl, trying to pull her off my leg. Uh, Yasaka-sama, you do realize you, with your unequaled body, are extremely close to a very healthy teenager, right? And frankly, I can see somewhat down your yukata… Thank you very much, Yasaka-sama! You will never know my gratitude!

With a final heave, the little girl is pulled away and scolded by her caring mother. I smile at the two. "Ah, thank you, Yasaka-sama. Once again, you have saved me."

"Nonsense. I just have to apologize for my daughter's behavior." She looks pointedly at the little girl, who is on the verge of tearing up.

"I~ I'm sorry, Onii-sama… I just want Onii-sama to stay near me always."

"Hey, Kunou, don't worry about it. I'll be back every now and then to play." With my comforting smile, the little girl's face brightens up and she hugs me as tightly as possible. I returned the hug, then told her to head back inside, and see her wave goodbye.

"You know, it's not good to go hitting on little girls, even if she is your future bride."

"... Yasaka-sama, pardon my lack of manners, but I am not a lolicon, if that's what you're implying."

The blonde just laughs merrily at my comment. "Oh Rokkun, you crack me up. If only you were a few years older - I wouldn't mind playing with you either," she said with a slight smirk. "Maybe in a few years… but then, I would be competing with my own daughter!"

"Your daughter is seven right now. In a few years, she'll be, what, ten? How will that even be a competition?"

"Now, now, a mother must not steal her daughter's husband. It's an unspoken law."

I frown at the mention of this. "Yasaka-sama, may I ask you why you agreed to this? I mean, there is somewhat of an age difference between Kunou and I… isn't it too early to even consider marriage for your daughter?"

The young woman beside me sighs. "I quite agree, Rokkun. But you have to remember that I was married by fifteen and had Kunou within the year. With so much stress it takes on the body of the nine-tails, the successor has to be decided quick, in a manner of speaking. And we have to prepare quickly, so that all the requirements for the proper mate can be met. After all, quite a few of the best qualified get taken quickly." She then smiled tenderly at me. "We're just lucky the best was available."

"... I fail to see exactly why I am the best, to be perfectly honest. In terms of power, I'm relatively small, being only a six-tail. As for connections, since I stay in the shadows, most are unaware of who I am. For me to become what amounts to a king, based on that, it would be dumb."

"Ah, but please know that the nine-tails does not need a _powerful_ mate," explains the blonde beauty, "but one who can protect her. Kunou will have more than enough power - she might have more potential than I do, and I'm considered the strongest nine-tailed fox in the past two centuries. But there is always the blind spot that might prove our downfall. That's why it's detrimental for the mate to cover it. My husband covers it by using his contacts to have the best of the best protect me. But you, Rokkun, you will be able to do it by yourself."

"... And my father happens to be a famous kitsune that will offer his ninjas to the service of Kyoto whenever is needed. That has nothing to do with this arranged marriage?"

"Like I said, my husband has contacts." She then looks into my eyes, ready to prove her point. "But I would trust no one else to protect my daughter."

I still don't really like it - it's just kind of annoying that my life is being forced on me. But, then again, if Kunou looks even remotely as hot as the miko-clad Queen of Kyoto next to me, then I will be a very lucky man. And since she looked like Yasaka-sama in miniature, it's pretty much assured. I might as well count my blessings now.

"Anyways, about your mission - you understand that one of the cat's has been rogue for a number of years, correct? You are assigned to protect her sister, who happens to be the servant of a devil. Make sure that neither the cat nor her current master harm her - though neither will most likely ever occur."

"Ah yes, the Gremory clan is quite famous for caring for their servants."

"Indeed. Now, the kitten does not know why her sister went rogue. I wish to keep it that way, for now. Seeing as reports suggest the rogue cat has joined a potential threat, it would be unwise to let the girl know of her sister's actions, both past and current.

"Also, it has come to my attention that the Gremory master has quite an unusual liking for Japan. Though I doubt it will ever come to this, if the girl ever has plans to conquer Kyoto, I wish to have her assassinated - knowing your skills, no one would ever know the strike came from us. However, this is a last resort, and there is a very good chance it will never happen."

I give a slight nod. It's a standard reconnaissance mission to determine potential hostiles and take them out, if necessary. In other words, child's play. I've been trained to do this since I was three. And since there's little chance at actually getting my hands dirty, it's almost a paid vacation. Still, having to go back to school to shadow teenagers the entire time will be quite the pain.

"Well, best be on my way. I'll probably miss the opening ceremony if I don't leave soon."

The blonde kitsune smiled. "Be careful, and do well on your grades. From what I hear, there are many beautiful girls at your new school, so enjoy the time there, but not too much - we wouldn't want any unexpected claims to the throne in the future, would we?"

"... Yasaka-sama, what the hell are you talking about?"

"A good looking guy like you should get plenty of girlfriends."

"I know you know it already, but I like older women."

"Like me?" A playful smirk pops up on her beautiful face, and I quickly nod confidently. I firmly believe there is no point in hiding your interests. "Now, now, don't play with the teachers too much. We wouldn't want the Kunou's future husband to become a full-blown womanizer, would we?"

"Yeah, whatever. I'll be back every now and then." And with a small wave of my hand, I disappear. Kuoh Academy. This was going to be quite a painful and boring three years.

**Welcome! So, I was reading Highschool DxD, and all of the sudden, it came to me: "What the hell is Japan doing during this?" I mean, seriously, you have three _Christian-_originated factions all of the sudden descending on some random former all-girls school in the middle of Japan, and the Shinto faction does nothing until Kyoto is attacked? I seriously doubt Japan would be pleased a war was started on their home turf without their consent. **

**So, insert original character to keep an eye while the world starts descending into chaos. Now, Kurotani Rokudou, affectionately known as Rokkun (Japanese like to shorten names), is not an OP character, though he may seem like it at the beginning. That's strictly because he is experienced, whereas the Occult Research Club and the Kuoh Academy's Student Council have all of a few stray executions on their resumes. Don't worry - the lovable idiot known as Issei will still grow up to be the Greatest Pawn and everyone else will increase to the point where Evil Dragons have to start to worry (whoops, spoiler alert). Rokkun's role is solely from the shadows, and he's more or less support, taking out the minor bad guys that for some odd reason never are mentioned when all the big bads decide to attack a bunch of teenagers. **

**Rokkun's also somewhat of a pervert - he understands many of his fellow students at Kuoh are knock-outs and likes older women. He just isn't so obvious at it as the Perverted Trio. But unfortunately for Rokkun, high school romance at a school where most of the students are members of the fairer sex will not go as smoothly as he hopes (to be fair, he would rather have none). Yes, he'll have a harem. But it will be a harem he doesn't want.**

**Anyways, I hope you enjoy. Feel free to comment. I don't even care if you bash the entire thing for no reason other than "it sucks." I'm a big boy and can always ignore those. See ya.**


	2. Watchers of the Go-home Club: Life 1

_A Year Later_

"Hey, excuse me! Sorry if I'm accidentally disturbing a lovers' quarrel here, but can I stop you two for a second?"

The young couple I'm interrupting from whatever they were doing stare at me, confusion clearly evident in their faces. "What? Where did you come from?" The girl, who is sporting a couple of black wings to go with quite the provocative outfit, asks. Well, it's understandable to wonder that - after all, I'm sure the girl thought she could have a peaceful night stabbing some poor love-struck idiot to death with her amazing powers, and I inexplicably showed up at the exact wrong time. She probably didn't even feel my presence until I spoke up.

"Hmmm… even though I must say your body is top-notch, the whole S&amp;M-dominatrix theme is kind of a turn-off, to be honest."

"S~ S&amp;M? Dominatrix? This here is the official uniform of a commander of a small squadron of fallen angels!"

"Uh, sorry, but I think your boss is a hardcore masochist and lied to you to get you in that."

That silences the girl for a minute. It gives the opportunity for the boy to raise his hand, "I don't mind!"

A small sigh, then, "Forever the pervert, aren't you, Hyoudou-san."

"Eh? You know me? Who are you? And why does Yuuma-chan have black wings? Why is ther~"

"Ugh, shut up already!" With a wave of my hand, Hyoudou Issei falls over, unconscious.

The girl, Yuuma, notices this and nods at me appreciatively. "Ah, now this can be much easier." With a snap of her fingers, a spear of light appears in her hand.

"Ah, yes, about that…" In a split second I appear in front of her. "I'm sorry, but could you refrain from killing this boy?"

"Why not? He's a threat."

"He's a threat that has gotten the interest of some devils around here. I'm sure they're probably waiting for him to die so they can resurrect him into their peerage.

"Now think about it for a second… if a threat like him becomes a devil, then suddenly, you fallen angels who had the audacity to kill him become his number one enemy - a small skirmish here, other factors there, and BOOM! We have a whole new three-way war going on! Now, do you really want that?"

Yuuma sits there, thinking my words over. "Okay, what you say makes some sense. But still there's a chance that all that doesn't even happen."

"And do you really want to take that chance?"

"..."

"Let's consider it another way: this boy here may be a threat, but a threat for whom? It's obvious he has no allegiance to anybody. Now all of the sudden, he becomes a potential asset. Will he be an asset for heaven? Or for the devils? Or, maybe, just maybe," and a smirk on my face grows into a grin, "he becomes a fun little toy for dear old Azazel?"

Ah! A light bulb seems to pop up in the fallen angel's mind. Fallen angel girls are just way too easy - they all are so madly in love with that idiotic governor that they are willing to do whatever it takes to please him. Which is kind of a shame - this girl is right in my strike zone. Sure, the S&amp;M getup is kind of scary, but clearly she hadn't realized her superior was just being a pervert. It's probably Barakiel - rumor has it that that guy is a serious M.

"Say, why are you doing all of this? Obviously this boy interests you, or else you wouldn't mind him dead."

Oh, the girl actually can think for herself. "To be honest, this kid is probably going to be a lot more trouble than anything else. I don't know what sacred gear he's got, but no doubt he's going to abuse it."

"... Who are you?"

"Ah, forgive me, but I'm taught not to give my name to strangers, particularly those who wear perverted clothing," I reply with a smirk, enjoying the not-so-slight amounts of embarrassment and anger that flushes the fallen angel's face. "However, I can tell you that I am affiliated with Kyoto, and though we hold no special interest in the idiot currently napping behind me, we are interested in avoiding bloodshed."

"Fine," sighs Yuuma. "The boy lives. I hope I don't come to regret this."

I chuckle and turn to the boy snoring behind me. "Say, I hear you fallen angels can mindwipe quite a few people. Wanna do that to all his friends and people he bragged about you to?"

"Sure, whatever. Say, what did you do to him, anyways?"

"It's a trade secret," I reply jokingly. "But what I _will_ do now is change his memory a bit. Perhaps I should make it that you two had a falling out?"

"Please do. I know that the kid was trying to make me happy, which is kind of cute, but, to be honest, the entire date was boring."

"Just because there was no S&amp;M play doesn't make it boring."

"Will you shut up about that?! I swear, I'm getting a new uniform the minute I get back." Teasing this fallen angel is so fun. But before I can cut in with another jibe, she holds out what looks like a small bracelet. "Anyways, make sure to leave this with him."

"Can do," I wink at the girl. "Well, I'll just get this summoning circle to activate…."

"Wait, summoning circle? You're leaving him to the devils?"

"Yes. Congratulations, Yuuma-chan! You just helped bridge a gap between two great factions! Now, I'd hurry along and run away, if I were you. You know things could get messy if they find you standing over an unconscious Hyoudou-san."

"This isn't over yet! I want more answers from you!" The girl roars as her wings spread out.

"Yeah, yeah. It's a date."

"Date?!" I don't hear the rest of her complaints as I disappear from there, eager to not get between some devils and their prize. Hopefully Yuuma-chan is smart enough to do the same.

* * *

"So, any news on the Sitri and Gremory heirs?"

"Ah, yes. The two girls are seriously alike. They both spent multiple pawn pieces on perverted second-year boys. I wonder if both girls have a little brother fetish or something."

"... Is that all the information you have?"

"Well, I might have prevented a war between the fallen angels and devils by keeping one of those idiots alive…"

"Please send the details of your ventures in your weekly report."

"Remind me again why I have to send weekly reports when I call in daily."

"Frankly, I don't know. Most of the time your reports are boring - I mean, in the past six months, you've had all of three reports of the devils taking down strays, which we'd already sent appreciation for. And for all we know, this latest report is merely a dud."

"Most likely. The perpetrator wasn't incredibly too hard to sway. And she might get the credit of finally bringing peace to the two dumb factions."

"That's wonderful. Anyways, if there's nothing else, our talk is done."

"Wait! When are we getting dinner, Megu-neechan? I'd love to enjoy an evening with a lovely oneesan like you!"

"Oh,... your such a flirt, Rokkun," giggles the girl on the other end. "Oh, n~" Suddenly the phone is silent.

"Eh, Megu-neechan? Huh, hung up on me."

I hang up the phone, disappointed that the person I report to, a cute dog yokai that is a few years older than me, had to end our conversation prematurely. By the sounds of it, she was caught flirting on the phone by one of her bosses. I hope she's okay.

I sigh at myself. I'm seriously pathetic when it comes to attractive older women. All I want is to have an onee-chan that will play with me and tease me a bit. That way I can play with and tease her right back.

It just so happens that the two "Onee-samas" of Kuoh Academy, my school, are walking by me at this exact moment. I huff in disappointment and look away. Sure, Rias Gremory and Himejima Akeno are hot, but they're still basically my age. They may act like they're older and more mature, but that's thanks to their upbringing. Rich girls and their servants are supposed to act more mature than usual. No doubt, deep inside, they're like every other girl their age, desperately waiting for their prince charming to come and sweep them off their feet.

And what do you know, Kuoh Academy's very own Prince Charming is walking up to them. Well, since Kiba Yuuto is "friends" with Rias and Akeno, it's understandable. Plus, the guy is the most dense boy I have ever known. He's got fangirls practically kissing the ground he steps on, and he has no clue that those girls even exist. There are rumors he's actually not interested in girls, which I could actually start believing.

Ah, looks like Rias said something to Kiba. And by the direction he's going, he's probably going to fetch Hyoudou Issei, whom Rias was kind enough to add to her peerage just the other night…

Typical devil servants. Obey orders first, ask questions later. Seriously, these guys need to get a brain on their heads. No doubt the Prince will soon be the subject of rumors. For some odd reason, Hyoudou-san is gossiped about a ton, even though he's probably the most unpopular guy in the entire school. Just this morning, the idiot was the subject of some not-so-pleasant rumors when he walked in holding Rias Gremory's bag. He's probably going to be the subject of some rather disturbing rumors concerning the school's Prince pretty soon. Oh well - if you want to get popular in a school where 70% of the enrollment is girls, then not peeking on them would be a start. Too bad Issei and his little band of idiots are too perverted and dumb to figure that out.

"..."

Crap. It seems like someone noticed me watching the pack of devils. A silver-haired first-year girl stares in my direction. Of all the people to catch me! Oh well, just walk away, acting like nothing is going on…

Toujou Koneko - a fifteen-year-old girl who looks like a loli. She also packs a punch that could probably bring down a building. To those who don't know about that monster-side of hers, she's known as the school mascot - and adorable little girl with a pension for eating sweets.

And she's my main target. Well, when you happen to be one of the strongest yokai clan's last survivor with known whereabouts, Yokai Central will want to keep track of you at all cost. Granted, we also keep track of her older sister, but since she's a wanted criminal… it's bad publicity.

You see, Koneko's a nekoshou - an unbelievably powerful nekomata tribe that are practically born with a mastery of senjutsu and youjutsu. Okay, maybe not necessarily born, but it's a lot easier for them to master that stuff than normal nekomata. And add to that their insane power levels, and they are easily some of the strongest yokai Kyoto - and the world, for that matter - has ever seen.

It's a shame that Koneko's one of only two left in the world. Kyoto prides itself on its intelligence network, but we still have no idea how her parents died. It's one of the biggest mysteries we have. Luckily, the family had two daughters, which means that the race will still live on through Koneko and her missing sister. Kyoto is still looking for potential mates that may help keep the nekoshou line up. Well, we're trying to keep that under wraps. If merely knowing the whereabouts of a felon would be bad, it'd be really bad publicity if it became known we were aiding her, even if it was something as trivial as a potential mate.

Just as I shake Koneko off my trail...

"Excuse me, Kurotani-san. May I speak with you for a minute?" Huh? Two third-year girls just cut my retreat off. Both wear glasses, the one speaking slightly smaller in stature and curves than her friend… Wait, I know who these two are~ Oh, come on! Why is it that I'm all of the sudden so popular?! And why of all people does it have to be the other devil of the school, Sona Sitri, heiress to the Sitri House, wanting to talk to me, with Shinra Tsubaki, her Queen, as backup?

Well, best to play dumb. "Uh, am I in trouble? Listen, just because I skip a few classes here and there doesn't mean the student council should get involved."

The smaller glasses girl in front of me gives a small smile. "Come," she orders. Typical rich heiress, expecting everyone to follow her on her command. Well, might as well go with her - I might be able to get some information on the other demons of the school.

We walk around to the back of the gym. Funnily enough, there's quite a few confessions that are made back here, for reasons I don't really understand. For privacy? If you want to confess to the girl you love, then don't be scared and ask her! That's my philosophy of love! Don't confess in seclusion; confess so that your crush knows you are not ashamed! … Not that the President would ever conf~

"I want you."

I blink at the glasses girl. "... Excuse me, President, I think I misheard. Could you repeat that, please?"

"I want you."

"... As flattered as I am by that, Shitori-kaicho, it would have been nice if your vice president wasn't right next to you. Unless," I add with a smirk and glance at the attractive girl standing slightly behind her King, "she also wishes to be in on this. If that's the case, then maybe I can make it work." I wink at Tsubaki playfully. She glares at me, no doubt slightly disgusted at my innuendo.

"Stop playing stupid, fox. I said I want you."

… Okay, not that I hadn't figured out that they were recruiting me, but having my identity revealed so openly is a surprise. Well, there's no use in my poker face anymore. "Well then, Lady Sitri, may I ask how you know?"

Her eyebrows raise a bit, evidently surprised _I_ knew who she was. Hmm… perhaps she's unaware of my real identity… "I have a demon hunter in my peerage. We knew there was a fox demon here since the first week last year."

Damn, no one told me about that. Of course, the devils that I haven't been ordered to watch are the ones that blow my cover. And they've known about a fox demon for a little over a year now? Hmm, now that I think about it, I must be good if they hadn't narrowed down on who it was until now. That lack of information about me probably made them want me more. Well, it'll most likely be all for naught in the end. I'm too expensive as a "piece" for her at this moment.

"Lady Sitri, I understand you wish to add me as a member of your peerage. However, I have my doubts that you could … afford me. I believe I'm currently worth more than your knight, and since the only available piece of yours higher than that does not really play to my strengths..."

The class president's eyes are starting to look dangerous. "You seem to know an awful lot about my peerage, fox. Explain to me why."

"I'm sure you know perfectly well why. And by the way, if you're trying to recruit someone, it's preferable if you say that person's name, rather than a derogatory term."

"But Kurotani is not your real name, correct?"

"Eh, it's still better than 'fox,' wouldn't you agree?" I ask Tsubaki, trying to get her into the conversation.

"Kaicho, he does have a point."

"Fine, whatever. Listen, Kurotani-san, what would it take to get you?"

"Sex." I reply promptly. The two girls eyes bug out and then start to act like they're covering themselves, which is obviously pointless since they have uniforms on. "Relax. I'm kidding. You're quite the innocent Ojou-sama, aren't your, President? Especially for a devil. Anyways, I'm actually serious about being too strong for you right now. To be honest, I probably could beat your queen in a fight straight up right now. I may be able to take you on as well."

"Hmpf. I doubt that."

"... Lady Sitri, have you ever been in a fight before? Besides small skirmishes with strays, of course."

"That's beside the point."

"You don't even know anything about me! You just know that I'm good at avoiding you guys, right?" Her hesitation answers my question. "Meanwhile, I know that you specialize in water magic and have a strategic mind. And that the worst 'fight' you've ever had was a temper tantrum against your Maou sister." Again, her eyes widen in shock at what I know. "I'm here to tell you that I am too strong at the moment for you. Maybe once you get that werewolf college student…"

"?! How do you know I'm interested in him?"

"It's my business to know what's going on in the supernatural world revolving around Kuoh Academy. Remember, you are here because my people let you be here. If you think that you can do whatever you want, you might wake up with a knife in your back. And that was a warning you got from the beginning," I remind Tsubaki, who seems quite offended that I would talk to her King like that and willing to act against my threat. The President glances over and places her hand on the bigger girl's arm, calming her.

"So, is that the reason why you are here, Kurotani? To keep us in line?"

"Well, to be honest, it's more for your friendly red-headed rival and her Japanese fanaticism, but we doubt that obsession would make her decide to conquer Japan on a whim."

Sona smirks at this. "Fine, I'll refrain from asking you to join my peerage at the moment. However, that still doesn't mean I don't want you. You will be mine, Kurotani."

"... You know, if someone walked in on us at this moment, they'd have a very grave misunderstanding." This makes the President blush slightly, which I find kind of cute. Her Queen just stares at her in shock.

"Ahem. Anyways, though you do not wish to join our peerage yet, I would still like you to join the student council."

"Oh? Trying to keep me close? Lady Sitri, before you start fantasizing a future with me, I must say that a scholarly girl like you would not be good with a bad boy like me. Though that does sound like some kind of cliche rom-com."

"That's not what I'm saying at all!"

"And what would poor Saji think? He'd be devastated that his own classmate stole his beloved president! I can't do that to Saji."

"Like I said, that's not what I'm saying at all!" The poor girl has been completely thrown off of her rhythm, thanks to my stellar work. Well, it's a talent of mine and I like to do it to pass time and get me out of certain situations. I once got a few of the elders in Kyoto to start arguing about whether yokai should start up some maid cafes, just to keep them from sending me on a very boring mission.

"What Kaicho means," says Tsubaki, obviously trying to rescue her King from a very embarrassing situation, "is that we'd like you to join the student council and help us maintain order around here. Sometimes by physical means, if necessary. Say, for a certain perverted trio~"

"Oh, you want me to be an enforcer? Well, why didn't you say that before, Lady Sitri? I mean, sending me mixed messages and such."

"Mouuu!" And with that, she storms off.

Tsubaki chuckles, impressed at my rambling. "You know, the only one who could get Kaicho so flustered before you was her sister. I must say, I find it amazing that you achieved it within ten minutes."

"Ah, speaking of her sister, is she still single?"

"Oh? Into magical girl cosplay?"

"Nah, onee-sans. Even if they act younger than their little sisters." I start to walk off, before calling over my shoulder. "Oh, and Shinra-fukukaichou, tell your King that it might take me some time before I can make my decision on the council. Though I wonder if she'll reconsider once I skip a week of school."

* * *

It's been a week since I avoided Koneko and was approached by Sitri-kaicho. I've spent most of it skipping class - the school couldn't really complain since I would still ace my tests. Unfortunately, my plan to ruin any chances of the student council through delinquency failed to shake the glasses girl from her resolve. Tch. Stupid stubborn devils - once they got their mind on something, they refuse to deviate no matter what. No doubt she's still interested in getting me to join her stupid peerage.

What's worse is, upon reporting the slight development to headquarters, I was told to "keep an open mind" and to "think about the future of Kyoto," obviously implying that they were considering taking the Sitri heiress up on her offer. I could see why - it gave us the possibility of having contacts with two of the most powerful clans in Hell. Still, I'd be much more interested in joining the president's sister's peerage than hers. Not that that would ever happen.

In other news, the Occult Research Club was busy keeping their idiot of a new teammate up to date and safe. Emphasis on the last one. Rias Gremory had been quite the moron and forgot to keep an eye on her new pawn, and the boy found a light spear in his gut. I mean seriously, is that entire team a bunch of power idiots? Why would you ever leave a newly reborn devil who doesn't even have a clue what his power is alone? Luckily, the boy's attacker legitimately thought Hyoudou Issei was a stray devil and managed to convince Rias, so relations between the two factions were still at an impasse.

Which brings me to where I am today - sitting across a table with a gorgeous girl that looks my age. It just happens that this girl attempted to kill the last boy she went on a date with.

"So, Yuuma-chan, how are you doing?"

"First off, it's not Yuuma. I made up that name to get close to Hyoudou Issei, and to be perfectly honest, it was a play on words of when I was going to kill him. The real name is Raynare."

"You came up with a name that was related to your boyfriend's scheduled time of death? Are you sure that uniform wasn't more you and less your boss?"

"Shut up about that!" Oh dear, looks like the fallen angel is about to cry. "For your information, I've changed my uniform, and my previous superior has had an unfortunate accident and will spend the rest of his life an eunuch."

Scary. Maybe I should refrain from teasing this girl too much. "Hmm… looks like you've had an interesting few days."

"Raynare-chan is always getting in trouble with the older Fallen. Many seem to think she's perfect as an S in role-play." A cute blonde girl sporting a gothic loli dress pipes up. And funnily enough, she seemed taken by me the moment I popped up in this creepy abandoned church the fallen angels call home. She's been sidling up to me as much as possible. Too bad for her I have no interest in lolis.

"Mittelt! You knew? You knew and you didn't tell me?"

"Oops. Raynare-chan found out."

"... So is the S&amp;M thing a fad among you crows? I heard Barakiel was way into it."

"Oh, Barakiel-sama is as well? I wouldn't know, seeing as I find it somewhat disgusting. But if Kurotani-sama is interested…" The blonde girl looks up at me somewhat hopefully. Hmmm… looks like she fell due to lust. Odd, considering she's a loli.

"Nah, Raynare knows here firsthand I'm not into that stuff."

The blonde girl, Mittelt, quickly rounds on her fellow Fallen, worry about a possible relationship between me and her friend etched on her face. Raynare throws her hand up, crying it was all just a "misunderstanding," and giving me a very hateful glare. I crack up.

"Man, you crows are so fun to tease. You guys can't take a joke if it slapped you in the face."

Both girls puff out their cheeks a bit, slightly angry at my harrassment. It's slightly childish, which I can understand with Mittelt, but Raynare? Maybe she's not as mature as she likes to present herself. It would explain why she was so defensive about her former uniform.

"Say, Kurotani-san, why are you here? You showed up… unexpectedly."

That was the truth. I decided to pop in, unannounced, only to be greeted with three light spears thrown at my face and a fourth in the back. Luckily, that was only a copy of me. I have a very good talent in making clones. Huh… I guess I could have been doing that the entire time to keep out of school. Whatever.

"Sorry about that. I should have sent something ahead… wait, my clone was that something." I laugh at that, much to the displeasure of Raynare. Mittelt, on the other hand, seems to be genuinely entertained. "As to why I'm here… well, it's to scout out the base of a potential enemy."

"... What?"

"Hey, you guys came over to Japan unannounced and uninvited. It's only natural Kyoto will send only their best to scout out a potential Fallen Angel threat."

"I can get that reason, but why are you being so forward with it?"

"It's not like any of you could stop me anyway." My comment makes Raynare frown all the more, while Mittelt just keeps staring at me with sparkles in her eyes. It looks like she'd be more than a willing informant if I ask her. I'll keep that in mind for later. "Anyways, I'm also here to find out your next move. I understand you have a … less-than-appropriate priest here?"

"Ah, Freed." Both girls shudder when they mentioned him. He must not be a very popular guy. "Frankly, we wouldn't mind if the devils got him." Damn, that's harsh.

"Actually, Kurotani-sama, could you get rid of him for us?" Mittelt looks to me, pleading.

"That's not really my problem. Can't you take care of him anyways?" Raynare looks in the opposite direction when I mention this, stammering an excuse, but the meaning is clear. "You mean you have a lunatic in your pay who is stronger than any of you, and you have no way in taking him out if he decides to press his advantage?"

"We were desperate, okay? We're in enemy territory, so we need some protection. Besides, we're hoping the back-up will have a calming influence."

"Back-up?"

"Yes, her name is Asia Argento."

"Wait, I've heard of her. She was some girl over in Europe who was nicknamed 'The Holy Maiden,' or something like that, right? But there was some falling out with the Church. I heard her mastery of her Sacred Gear was incredible… wait, what do you guys want with her?" I glare at the two suspiciously. They seem to quiver under my gaze.

"Um… well…"

"Raynare-chan wants to take the girl's Sacred Gear for herself to impress Azazel-sama."

"Mittelt, don't answer him!"

"I couldn't help it! Kurotani-sama's gaze was too powerful!"

"Well, I understand that, but…"

"Um, you two know I can hear you, right?" The two girls go wide-eyed at being caught. They obviously aren't the brightest. "Besides, I don't care if you do that." Their eyes morph into confusion. "It's not like it will do anything to damage the peace, right? She's excommunicated, so she's free game. Granted, it's somewhat sad that you have to kill her, but it's your choice."

"You won't stop us?"

"No, and I doubt Kyoto will do anything, either. I'm here to make sure you don't attack or provoke the devils to attack. But be careful - a girl with her ability may interest the devils, too. I don't want anything happening, and if anything does happen, tell me. Here's my phone number."

"Why should we call you for help?" As expected, Raynare's somewhat sceptical of me, which is admirable in my opinion. There's been no reason to really trust me. Mittelt, on the other hand, just holds up her phone, no doubt excited that I offered my number.

"Because I can, and I'm sure I'm a lot more trustworthy than you psycho priest." The older angel nods her head at that. "Oh, and keep an eye on the guy that attacked your former boyfriend. Some stuff don't seem to add up."

A few minutes later, as I'm walking away, waving at the two, I get this feeling that I'll be seeing those two quite soon. Something is off in this town… and I'm in the middle of it. And the biggest problem is that I've got no clue what's going to happen.


	3. Watchers of the Go-home Club: Life 2

**Welcome back. So, a quick note on the harem, since almost all of reviews asked about it. My note is this: why would I tell you guys that? Talk about spoilers. I'm just going to say that there's been a few clues as to what the harem will be like, with another large one coming in this chapter (oh yeah, there's going to be a lime in this one, along the lines of what's written in the actual series - you know, naked showers, girls almost taking Issei, the like).**

**As to Rokkun's powers, one of them is the standard kitsune set. You know, fox-fire along with other powers yokai like the Nekomata sisters and Bikou the Monkey have. His other powers... well, that would be spoiling! And as much as I enjoy spoilers (seriously, I'm the type of guy who actually checks out the plot of a movie on Wikipedia before I go see it), I enjoy teasi~ ahem, I mean letting you readers speculate.**

**Oh, and I guess I should explain what my character looks like. Well, he has some delinquent vibes, since he really doesn't want to be in school and doesn't really care whether his fellow students like him or not. That said, girls do kind of like his bad boy vibe - so let's make him like Kodaka Hasegawa, the lead character from Haganai (otherwise known as "Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai," a charming high school romance/drama where the main character wants friends, but thanks to having a foreign mother has blondish hair that makes him look like a delinquent - it doesn't help that he can make a face that scares everyone half-to-death, and grew up somewhat socially awkward). **

**That said, shall we continue?**

* * *

"Man, this is boring to watch by myself," I mutter as a hideous beast shrieks out in pain, unable to stop the pummeling of a girl a quarter of her size thanks to the Gremory knight previously removing her arms. The half-naked-woman/half-animal monstrosity had been somewhat surprisingly horrifying, though not as surprising as Hyoudou-kun failing to get turned on upon seeing her topless. I know how much he loves boobs, and considering the orbs are gigantic, I was expecting the idiot to shout with joy in what was obviously not a situation to do so. Fortunately, fear caught his tongue, and he took the opportunity to actually listen to his King. Currently the sister of the Maou is teaching her pawn the abilities of her Queen, Himejima-san. While the Yamato Nadeshiko is busy shocking the shit out of Lil' Miss Monster, I yawn, hoping this stupid exhibition ends soon.

"...And most of all, she's the ultimate sadist," explains Rias Gremory in a proud tone.

Ugh… what's with all the S&amp;M stuff lately? First I meet a fallen angel whose superiors all are M's, and then I find out that one of the strongest devils in the area seriously enjoys the S side… Honestly, it's not shocking that the girl is half-fallen … whoops! That slipped out. Yeah, Himejima Akeno is the daughter of a top-tier Fallen Angel. Why would I know? You see, her mother was a top shrine maiden who fell in love with one of the leaders of Grigori, the Fallen Angel organization. Kyoto thought it was great, since it was a way to further relationships with one of the three factions, but her clan found the two's relationship worthy of death and had the mother assassinated. They tried to take out the young girl as well, but Akeno miraculously found her way in with the Gremory's. That was quite unexpected. And unfortunately for the Himejima clan, they found out the hard way what happens when you keep secrets from your bosses.

But man, going back to the fight, and that stray the Occult Research Club is taking on right now has quite a bit of endurance. Getting limbs cut off, being punched by a girl who could take down buildings, having lightning course though the entire body - and yet she's still alive. Well, alive enough to ask to be killed… this is getting kind of suspicious. From my past experience, strays backed into a corner will more often than not attempt one last-ditch suicide attack, since most of them are so prideful. Yet Vizer, as the stray was previously named, is simply accepting her death? It's almost as if… ah, there's someone running away, seriously trying to hide its power. And judging by its _ki_, it's definitely a devil. Let's see, should I take care of it, or should I just let it go… Actually, this is a good chance at some information of how strong my targets are.

Following the devil proves way too easy.

"Huh. It's pretty impressive you were able to make your familiar look like a devil, Viser-san."

The stray devil in question quickly turns around, looking near identical to the Viser I'm sure was blasted apart a few minutes ago. Well, this one is clothed - judging from some of the rips and the blood, she took the clothes off her victims, which is quite disturbing. Then again, merely the thought of eating a human is disturbing. Interesting how those two correlated.

Ah, poor Viser-san looks all panicked and confused. Perhaps I should enlighten her. "Hmm… As you can see, I'm not a devil, nor am I related to any of those three factions. I'm guessing you have an ability to read people's energy, or what my kind refer to as _ki_. Impressive."

"I will kill you."

"Oh?"

"And then once I kill you, I will drink your blood, and then~"

"And then you will feast on my brain while picking your teeth with my collarbone, I suppose? Ugh, you are pretty disgusting." With a snap of my fingers, her arms are suddenly caught ablaze. She shrieks in panic and starts swatting at the flames to no avail. "Relax, they won't harm you, yet. But if you don't answer my questions, the fire may just start to get hotter, slowly burning each of your limbs until nothing is left but little flakes of ash floating in the air.. I doubt I have to tell you how painful that could be - sheer imagination is more than enough. Maybe I should start with burning out you vocal chords to avoid any shrieks of pain. We wouldn't want people traumatized by your screams, now, would we?" The devil simply stares in morbid fear, too scared to make a sound, as I sadistically smirk, knowing one less stray will be roaming the Earth after tonight.

* * *

"Ugh, this has been a real pain." The past few days have been torture. It seems like wherever that stupid perverted devil goes, he gets in trouble. All I'm doing is looking like a criminal for stalking him.

How is he getting into trouble, you ask? Well, how else can you describe it when Hyoudou-kun somehow befriends his mortal enemy, some blonde bimbo who can't figure out how to get to the church that stands on top of the only hill in the entire city? And no, it's not some cheesy Romeo and Juliet story-line, seeing as the "Juliet" in this scenario is a random beautiful nun from Europe with no friends, no family, and no common sense. Then again, Juliet lacked the forethought to tell her lover personally that she was faking her death, so maybe this nun-meets-devil scenario actually fits.

Anyways, Asia Argento, the nun in question, is no doubt a beauty - long blonde hair with a cute face, and a personality to match. It's sickening. The girl is far too trusting - after all, she's making friends with her natural enemy without a second thought. Of course, her Twilight Healing, a Sacred Gear that heals almost anything on anyone, is perfect for her "help everyone" lifestyle, even if she's been rejected and thrown to the side like trash. She's probably desperate for any form of companionship.

But somehow God, who blessed her with such an amazing ability, not only failed to grant her blessings of love and friendship, but also forgot to bestow upon her the all-important gift of common sense. It's probably due to having such a sheltered life before being kicked out of the Church. Unfortunately, if that could have been all she was lacking, then maybe she could have been self-sufficient, but noooo. The poor girl is clumsy as hell, and to top it all off, she must be one the greatest pushovers I have ever seen. I swear, if I wanted to, I could probably ask the girl to have sex with me, saying that it was necessary to help "save my soul" or some other bogus excuse, and she would do it. The girl is way too naive for my tastes, though simply being female seems to be enough for Hyoudou-kun. Granted, she's an incredibly adorable female, so at least it's understandable.

And speaking about the embodiment of lust, it's amazing how the nun couldn't read whether the kind boy incapable of hiding a lewd face was a devil or not. It's really not that hard - devils have a natural violent ki that no other being possesses. And that includes crazed demons and monsters. How she could be such a promising talent in the world and not be able to tell something so elementary is beyond me. It would explain why she supposedly healed a devil back in Europe, the act that got her excommunicated in the first place. The girl needs some help, and a lot of it, or else she could easily be killed. Oh wait, that's Yuma-chan's plan.

Then there's the idiotic Hyoudou-san, who decided to help her. At least he can tell the differences between auras after only a few weeks of being in this world. He figured out something was dangerous about the nun, and was even able to tell it was something to do with her destination rather than Asia herself. I was just beginning to hope that the fool had grown up a bit and surprisingly had a bit more of common sense than I originally supposed, when I realized that the entire situation started due to his perversion. It probably didn't help that the first thing he saw of the girl was her panties. Hyoudou-kun probably is one of the luckier perverts in the world - not very many would have gotten such an introduction from a lovely girl. Why couldn't he settle with that?

Luckily, Rias Gremory reprimanded him about befriending the blonde nun, which really didn't matter, since I warned the fallen angels to stay away from the kid.

It would have been good at that, but for some odd reason fate was be really annoying. Against all the odds and all the warnings, Hyoudou-kun somehow and someway almost got killed by the crazy exorcist Raynare and Mittelt were complaining about. Asia learned her first friend's true identity and was almost raped by said priest Just a bunch of useless drama that, in the end, mattered not, since the stupid girl seemed to not register that the priest wasn't following God's teachings and followed him. Though I could tell the Gremory King had some interest in her. Hmm… I'll keep that in mind.

And finally, Hyoudou-kun, after deciding he needed to get stronger, took the day off to train, only to run into his beloved nun once again. So, instead of training, he went out on a date with her, which I'm fairly certain the two never even registered. Well, since the girl had no clue how to eat a hamburger, she probably is equally as clueless when it comes to dates. Hyoudou-kun is just clueless in general.

And if you haven't noticed it yet, I've been following the two the entire time. Do you know how hard it is to follow two idiot teenagers lost in their own love life, which they're too stupid to figure out? Without falling asleep? I can't believe I decided to inform my superiors of the strange circumstances that has been centered on the new pawn of the Gremory. I should have known they would take interest in their fellow pervert.

"Once I become King of Kyoto, they seriously will pay for these three years of torture I'm suffering through right now! They will regret the day that they thought having me tail two dense idiots," I shout to know one in particular.

… Unfortunately, I'm not alone on the street.

"Mommy, what is that boy saying?"

"Shh, it's alright, dear, don't listen to him! He's just jealous that he doesn't have a girlfriend."

Jealous? Nah, girlfriends are a pain. I just want someone older who can play with me. Actually, now that I notice her, the mother actually is pretty hot...

"Oh, so he's doing what you do when your friends leave our home with their husbands."

… The mother instantly clams up with her lips quivering, tries to avoid showing her face to me, and blushes bright red. Well, maybe I can help…

A few minutes later, I'm whistling away. The mother actually gave me her phone number. I've got the phone number of a hot mother! A legit MILF! And she had no clue I was technically in high school! Is this the start of a forbidden relationship? Well, it's not like she's that much older than me - it turned out she's only twenty. A super hot mom that's desperate and still in the prime of her life! I feel like I'm on top of the world! And to celebrate, off to dinner!

* * *

"Ah, that was delicious." The yakiniku was superb. I mean, I usually think it's amazing, but today, after days of watching an idiot fumble his way through life, it was superb. I feel like I'm floating in heaven. Now all I need for a relaxing evening a nice warm bat~

"... Hello."

Two beautiful girls, one with long dark hair and a killer body, the other blonde and a loli, look up at me in shock and horror from my shower room. For a few seconds, we continue to stare at each other, when suddenly the older one starts screaming.

"... Raynare? Could you quiet down a little bit?"

"What? Oh I guess I cou~ Wait! Why are you still looking at us?!"

"Well, I'm currently enjoying the scene."

"You could leave, you know!"

"And why should I? This is my bathroom, you know."

That silences the poor Fallen Angel. Mittelt decides to speak up a bit, albeit in a very shy manner completely unlike her enthusiastic self, "I don't mind if Kurotani-sama joins us…"

My eyes shoot up at hearing the slight nervousness in her voice. Really, it's not so surprising that she would say that - I mean, the girl was already into me, and being naked together in the same room would probably be a dream come true for her. Still, for having fallen due to lust, she seems awfully unsure of herself. Could it be due to her small body? I look her up and down - I really can't say I'm excited, though her breasts are far bigger than what I would expect from a girl that size. A big-breasted loli, huh? Those seem to be pretty rare.

I then glance back at the older looking fallen. Damn, that sure is an amazing body. Perfect curves rolling down a smooth body. Long legs. And large breasts that seem to be begging for someone to grop~ urgh, I mean massage them. Raynare notices me judging her and instantly moves to hide herself. Her actions leave me decided. "Well, if you don't mind, Micchan, then allow me to join you."

Mittelt is obviously ecstatic, though I sense a bit of jealousy. She probably figured out that I decided to stay after checking out her far more voluptuous friend. To help her feel somewhat better for herself, I allow her to wash my back.

"Huh. That feels really good, Micchan!"

The blonde softly giggles behind me. "Thank you, but may I ask you a question, Kurotani-sama?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you call me 'Micchan'?"

"Well, why do you call me 'Kurotani-sama'?"

"That is… I don't..."

"Listen, you can call me anything you want, if it's alright if I call you whatever I want. Frankly, 'Mittelt' seems to be way too formal of a name; hence, I decided to make it cuter, like you."

Mittelt doesn't say nor do anything for a few minutes. Maybe what I said got to her. But then, suddenly, a wonderfully soft and elastic feeling of two round balls hits my back. Slowly they are pressed up and down my back. Is this that thing that anime girls do sometimes, where they use their boobs to wash their lover's back? If it is, then I'm all for it happening more often. It feels amazing. Huh. I guess what I had said could constitute as flirting, and Micchan's actions are my "reward." I mentally shrug my shoulders at that thought - even if it was casual flirting, I'm not really into her. Of course, just because I'm not into her doesn't mean I don't appreciate her breasts.

Raynare stares at us from just over the edge of the bath, still trying to hide her figure. I notice her face getting redder and redder. Her friend's attempts to seduce me is probably making her all the more embarrassed. A thought pops into my head and I give her a cheeky grin. It's time for more fun. "You know, you're more than willing to wash my front, Ray-chan."

The raven-haired girl instantly goes a deeper shade of red at that. She quickly stands up, trying to escape from the stimulating situation. Her humiliation must have clouded her mind a bit, because now I have the beautiful view of a fully naked girl with excellent proportions standing before me. Realizing her mistake, the girl tries to jump out of the bathtub, but fortunately for me, she loses her balance and falls… landing right on top of the one guy in the small room.

For a few seconds, all three of us do nothing. Raynare justs lies stiffly on top of me while I stare blankly up at her in shock. Luckily for Mittelt, Raynare's fall had pushed me away from the blonde, so she wasn't crushed under us. Still, glancing in her direction, I can see the shock and a slight pout. That brings me back to what actually is happening here… Wait, is this the moment where I enter manhood? One girl is lying on top of me, naked, while another is mere feet away, more than willing to join in on the festivities. Okay, Rokkun! Do not mess this up!

… Of course, seeing as I am a complete virgin, I seriously have no idea what I'm supposed to do. Well, Raynare's still on top of me, staring dumbfounded into my eyes a few inches away. There's not much I can do besides… grope her butt? My hand moves almost naturally until I feel her rather large and soft ass and I, unsure of what will happen, give a quick squeeze.

Raynare's reaction is almost instantaneous. She jumps up and gives a startled yelp. This gives me an opportunity to snake my other hand up and grasp one of the huge melons on her. Acting instinctively, I slowly squeeze her breast. The girl must still be in shock because all she can do is stare down at me. My hand take this as an invitation to continue. Gradually my groping starts to liven up a bit, and soon a low, seductive moan escapes the fallen angel's lips. Raynare quickly brings her hands to her mouth in an obvious effort to stifle any sound that gets out. I slowly get up and somehow maneuver her off me, her back against the wall of the small shower room.

I quickly glance at Mittelt. How could I forget the little vixen that wanted me since we met? She notices the hunger in my eyes and quickly a blush blossoms all across her face. Hmm, is she the type that talks big but, when push comes to shove, easily becomes an innocent little angel? Perhaps it's because I'm so turned on right now thanks to Raynare, but I can't help but want to tease the little blonde a bit. "Now, now, Micchan, you're not going to back out of this, are you?"

"W~ What a~are y~you t~talking about, Ku~Kurotani-sa~sama?" I grin lewdly at her as she stutters around, barely over the low moans of our raven-haired companion.

I reach for her with my right hand, leaving my left to continue working on Raynare's chest. Slowly I pull he in closer, smirking as her face gets darker and darker. Finally, I pull her into my chest, bowing low enough to whisper huskily into her ear: "After all, you were the one who wanted me to stay." I reach down to grasp her tiny little butt, finding it firmer than Ray-chan's rounder one, and once again give a tight squeeze. The young blonde jumps up in surprise, her larger-than-expected breasts bouncing off my chin, and her arms find themselves around my neck. I continue groping both her cute little bum and Raynare's watermelon, growing all the more aroused. Finally, I think it is time to take them.

I somehow push Raynare down softly with one arm while holding onto her little blonde friend, who seems to have instinctively wrapped her legs around my torso. I look down at the raven-haired beauty, still groping Micchan's tiny little butt, and come to a decision. Slowly I lower my head, attempting to steal her lips in a passionate kiss, when I notice her hand start to swing at me. I couldn't help wondering how she got her hand on the shower head just as it clubbed me in the head, knocking me out.

* * *

"Why did you do that, Raynare?!"

"Um… I… I wasn't ready… It was my first k~"

"You weren't ready for your first kiss?! So you knocked him out?!"

"I didn't mean to."

Hmm, looks like the two are arguing. Mittelt seems furious - well, being denied the thing she fell for is most likely the reason. I have a feeling I'm going to learn a bit in the next few minutes, so I'll just act like I'm knocked out still.

Micchan suddenly growls. "You do know that I'm still a virgin, right?" Well, that's surprising. I have heard how some angels fall by the mere thought of sex. Still, most of the time angels are hot enough that they get laid moments after they fall. I wonder if Mittelt was considered too small when she first fell.

"Wait, what about that one guy… Timothy, was it? Didn't you fall so you could be with him?"

"It turned out he was merely using me to get his childhood friend jealous."

"... Oh." The two keep quiet a few minutes, which I can understand. Learning that you were toyed with was never a good thing. I'm actually feeling sorry for poor little Micchan. "But I'm sure there's plenty of other guys…"

"All of the men who want me are pedophiles! Disgusting pigs! I've got no shot with a guy I actually like, like Kurotani-sama!"

"I'm sure, once he wakes up..."

"Please, the only reason why he was turned on was because of you."

Well, it's pretty true. Even though Mittelt started it with her breast-sponge bath, Raynare's body was what got me over the edge. Again. I feel sorry for Mittelt a bit, but I just can't see myself getting excited over her body, even if her boobs are slightly bigger than someone normally her size has.

"I can't believe you fell for power. With that body of yours, you could get anybody. Why was I unlucky enough to have this body!" Oh, Mittelt is starting to sniffle a bit. How sad...

"I'm sorry, Mittel! If I could, I'd trade bodies with you in a heart beat. My entire goal is to serve next to Azazel-sama, after all. The body doesn't matter."

"Raynare!"

"Mittelt!"

I open my eyes to find the two girls hugging each other tightly, wearing little more than T-shirts. My T-shirts, that is. My inner self weeps tears of joy at the sight. Still, it's time to let the two know I'm up. "Well, this is a lovely yuri scene here. As much as I would love to see it continue, I've got a few questions for you two." The two almost immediately break up, embarrassed.

"H~ Hello, Kurotani-sa~sama! Are you f~feeling better?"

"Well, my head still feels like a jackhammer is burrowing into my skull, Micchan. If only someone hadn't used a shower head as a blunt object against my skull." I glare at the older-looking Fallen Angel, who blushes.

"S~ Sorry about that. I~ I didn't mean to knock you out. I just wish to please Azazel-sama," explained Raynare. "... though I didn't mind it…" This last part she muttered as quietly as possible. Unfortunately for her, I heard it quite clearly. Judging by my grin being shyly mirrored on Mittelt's face, she heard it too.

"Well, I don't mind you coming over to seduce me, but next time maybe you should call ahead. I'd like to be somewhat prepared."

"That's not the reason!" Suddenly the girl's expression sports a completely embarrassed and nervous look. It's pretty cute.

"You didn't come to seduce me? Then why were you in my shower? And for that matter, how did you two find my home?"

"Oh! We tracked your address down thanks to the phone number you gave us," cut in Mittelt. Wow, it's impressive they were able to do that. Slightly stalkerish, but impressive. Maybe these Fallen Angels aren't as dumb as I thought they were. The blonde crow continued: "The shower at the old church is horrible, so we decided to take advantage here. As to why we're here, well, Ray-chan has something to tell you…"

I turn my attention back to Raynare. I instantly realize something was wrong.

"Um… I might have attacked … Issei… again."

"... Please tell me you're joking."

"To be fair, he was the one who tried to pick a fight with Ray-chan. He saw her wings and immediately thought she was going to attack him. She even tried to hold back her power, but the boy was way too weak. We left him in the park slightly injured," said her blonde friend, obviously trying to save her friend.

I sigh. "Hopefully the devils will understand that. But tell me, why were your wings out?"

"Oh, I was picking up a girl the devil befriended."

"You mean the nun you're planning to take a Sacred Gear from? Well, this complicates stuff a ton. No doubt Rias Gremory will take this as a declaration of war, being as hot-blooded and thick-headed as she is." A question pops into my head. "Say, why do you want Twilight Healing?"

"Well, I figured it would get Azazel's attention. Plus, it's quite a good gift. The one the nun has seems to be more powerful than usual, and, well, since she's been excommunicated from the church, she's free game."

"At least you were smart enough to think of that," I exclaim. Honestly, with as many idiots as there were in this town, an idea that doesn't affect the unstable stalemate at the current moment is borderline genius. "Listen, I know this might not be a welcome idea, but may I suggest offering an olive branch to the devils?"

* * *

It took a few minutes of persuasion, but in the end Raynare was convinced to give the devils Twilight Healing. I casually brought up the point that Azazel seems to prefer peace rather than war, and Raynare helping the sister of the Maou would certainly make her beloved ruler happy. That was more than enough to win her over. The trouble, of course, is getting the other Fallen Angels to comply. Since she technically is their squad leader, hopefully they'll follow her orders.

I'm fairly sure her two female friends, Mittelt and Kalawarner, are in. Mittelt agreed with the idea from the beginning (turns out she didn't think the entire "stealing-a-Sacred-Gear-for-Azazel-sama" plan was the greatest ever, so she may actually be relatively smart), and Kalawarner seems extremely loyal to Azazel. I suggested merely pointing out that their Governor General never actually ordered them to do this action in order to sway the older crow.

But the the other two within Raynare's group are whom I'm worried about. To start off with, there is the crazy exorcist named Freed Sellzen. From what my two Fallen Angel allies say, the guy is just a lunatic. Evidently the guy kills anybody remotely associated with devils, and not because of God's will, though he claims as such. He's actually somewhat talented, though most of the devils on the surface are weak strays that are easily dispatched. He actually attacked Hyoudou and took on the entire ORC, holding them off for a few minutes and then fleeing before it got seriously bad, which is pretty impressive. With the newest plan to help the devils, Freed may find it an opportunity to do some more devil hunting, which would lead to the obvious thought that the entire "exchange" was a trap for the Gremory peerage. It may be best to eliminate him quickly. I might do the job myself.

There's one more fallen angel, a guy named Dohnaseek, that concerns Raynare and Mittelt. They had never really met him before he was assigned to their little squadron. Honestly, he doesn't seem overly powerful, but I really wonder whether he has ulterior motives. He was the one who attacked Hyoudou-san that one time. Thing is, his reasons are not very believable. He thought the clueless guy was a stray? Strays are always over-confident and destructive, two things the boy certainly isn't.

Besides, what power did the boy possess? Raynare said it looked like Twice Critical, a dragon-based Sacred Gear that doubled the user's power. It could be useful, but only for people with a high amount of power. Hyoudou-san, by all definitions, has no remarkable talent or strength.

Then, if he has such a basic Sacred Gear with no attribute to actually power up, why would someone of Rias Gremory's status acquire him? Unless, it isn't Twice Critical, but something that looks like it - something that is powerful enough to be worth something to an heir with a ton of potential, let alone eight pieces. But that would have to be on the level of a Longinus...

Shit. That had to be it. And if Dohnaseek figured out it's a Longinus...  
This could become a serious problem.  
I grab my cell and quickly try to call Raynare. I wouldn't be surprised if Dohnaseek saw her and the other two Fallen expendable now that he has a ceremony and a top-notch Sacred Gear available. Raynare choosing to cancel the ritual would not be ideal. He may take the opportunity to eliminate whoever is in the way of his goals.  
After a few missed calls it seems like my fears are coming true. Somethings happened to Raynare and Mittelt. This is not good. Not good at all. A rogue Fallen with a Longinus … this will definitely cause trouble. Kyoto has told me to not get too involved, but this… this is definitely out of the league of the kid devils. I'm the only one in the area with enough experience to end this.

* * *

**You know, I never figured out why, in the books, Rias was somewhat "shocked" to find out that Issei had Boosted Gear. I mean, the idiot had no talent whatsoever. He was a pure human before getting reincarnated. All of that screams "single pawn" to even the weakest of high-class devils, let alone someone known as the "Crimson-haired Ruin Princess." There was obviously _something_ special with him, and considering her rival had to spend half of what it took to get the perverted idiot on someone without a Longinus, it would seem fairly obvious what was hidden within Issei. So, why not have someone use their mind for once in the series to actually figure it out? Thank you, thank you.**


	4. Watchers of the Go-home Club: Life 3

**And I'm back!**

**So first things first: I gave the chapters a title that correlates to the actual titles of the series. So for the first one, instead of Diabolus of the Old School Building, it's Watchers of the Go-Home Club. Interestingly enough, Grigori actual means something along the lines of "Watchers," and seeing as I have Rokkun "befriending" a couple Fallen Angels, I felt it was appropriate. Also, seeing as the Fallen Angels were "watching" Issei, who before joining the ORC never went to a club, thus being a member of the Go-Home Club, it fitted all around. So perfect!**

**Sorry this took so long (not that a week is that long). It's just, this is my first time writing a fight scene. You see, Ichiei Ishibumi has it easy on the fight scenes - Issei is a brawler who takes a punch and gives one two. Whereas Kurotani Rokudou - well, ninjas aren't supposed to get in fights, as much as Naruto begs to differ. They go in, kill their target, get out. Stick to the shadows. All that.**

**Actually, many of you might not appreciate this fight too much, seeing as I have him taking on someone that really should wipe the floor with him. Hopefully I explained properly how he did it. Also, you'll learn about Rokkun's ability here, which is lacking compared to many other OC's out there. This is because, as I've said before, Rokkun is not meant to be a Gary-Stu. However, his experiences and techniques far outclass many characters in this world _at this moment_. Later on, when Issei gets Balance Breaker and the rest of Rias' peerage basically become Ultimate-class devils (though they still are only classified as Low- and Mid-level), Rokkun won't be so unbelievable. So be patient, and enjoy.**

**As a side note, I got my first "Please update" review by a guest. Not sure if it truly is a review, or more like a request, but the underlying message was truly heartfelt. Thank you, guest! **

* * *

"Ara ara. It looks like we're late, Rias."

"Hmm. I don't really understand what's going on. This was supposed to be an offensive against the Fallen Angels, but… did the Church do this?"

"No, the Church isn't that cruel. To do this to a Fallen - it is the worst humiliation. You could say it's a punishment worse than death. In fact, that must to be the case here, as these two seem to still be alive."

"Really? Are wings that important, Akeno?"

"Imagine you without yours - how would you feel?"

"... I would feel like I've lost part of myself. Like I've lost my right as a devil."

"For the Fallen, it is worse. They are the last evidence of the life they had before they fell. The joy, the peace - without them, a Fallen is lost and has no identity. It was a method of exile for them, for how could you be an Angel and not have wings?"

Shit, looks like I'm too late. Hiding in the shade of some trees I peer down at Rias Gremory and her Queen, Himejima Akeno. I strain to listen to them talk about two bodies lying on the ground. From my vantage point I notice Raynare's voluptuous figure and Mittelt's petite one lying in two pools of blood, their wings clearly ripped off of them. A number of other wounds dot their bodies. Judging by the excess of feathers around, their friend Kalawarner wasn't caught unaware and tried to fight but was overpowered. Dohnaseek must have made his move.

Of course, just as I'm trying to figure out how to get the two unconscious Fallen Angels out of this mess, a large mass of demonic power forms in Rias Gremory's palm. She turns to her Queen and asks a silent question, earning a nod. She looks down at her two supposed enemies. "To think, two who thought they could harm my cute servant lie broken on the ground, abandoned by their own. Pathetic. Now, disappear."

Shit, I didn't think the Ruin Princess or whatever would be that heartless. Then again, she is a devil - I guess all of that affection the Gremory is known for applies only to their family and servants. Mere crows with a history of attacking those very loved ones are beneath them. Even though I understand where the redheaded beauty is coming from, I want to save the two Fallen Angels. I mean, I understand that all we've had were a few conversations and that little situation in my shower room, but in those few times I've grown to like Raynare and Mittelt a bit. And for them to be so brutally killed is unfair, especially when they were about to make peace with Rias Gremory.

If that's the case, then there's nothing left but to safe the two.

I have to somewhat chuckle at the shock on the two devils' faces when their downed enemies inexplicably disappeared from right in front of their eyes. And before they can recover from the sudden plot twist, pale blue flames flare around them. I have to give them some credit, though, when they quickly get into some battle positions. Evidently Miss Gremory and Himejima-san have been somewhat trained.

The King is the one to speak up. "Who's there?"

Slowly, the blue flames die and gather behind me, letting the devils see a shadowy silhouette of myself. Sometimes the dramatic entrance can have the benefit of intimidating your opponents, even by a fraction. It was what that stray devil Viser had attempted. But intimidation isn't just a way to frighten an enemy before battle - no, perhaps a better way to use it is in negotiation. Sure, it could be considered tyrannical, but let's face it: if someone is told to obey a command or die and they could feel your killing intent, then the fool will most like follow through with it.

Of course, if I had it my way, I would have just snuck up on the two and quickly ended their lives with two quicks jabs in the throat with a hidden blade. But the death of both the heir to the House of Gremory and her queen would have brought in some troublesome eyes, made all the more annoying when the heir's brother is the King of all the bats. I mentally sigh; politics could be really annoying. Oh wait, I've got all that excitement awaiting for me in about ten years. Yay!

Going through all these thoughts in mere seconds, I decide to step forward a little to give the two buxom devils a view of their opponent (hopefully in a battle of words).

… My actions proved to be a great mistake.

"... Akeno! Akeno! It's… It's a ninja! A real life, in the flesh ninja! Isn't he so cool?! Oh, look how good-looking he is!" Rias shrieked in a very high-pitched shrill.

I just stand there, stupefied. What the hell was going on? I'm wearing my traditional clothes that are worn during every mission, black suit and mask, so I don't see how she could even figure out whether I'm good-looking or not. But the way the girl is acting, it reminds me of rabid fans around famous people. Why's this redhead… _fangirling _all over me, just because of what I was wearing? It's almost as if…

Damn! I forgot the entire thing about her being a fanatic on Japanese culture. Of course she would be so excited about something as Japanese as a ninja!

Almost as if she can read my mind, Himejima-san speaks up. "My apologies, shinobi-san, for my King. She… is a little obsessed; my King has loved Japan since we were little," she explains, trying to hide the sweatdrop. Sorry, Himejima-san. I can still see it. Just as I'm about to point that out, the half-Fallen leers slightly at me, her mood doing a complete 180. "But as my King was saying, you have yet to reveal your identity, ninja-san."

"Come now, Himejima-san. I'm sure you know that agents of Kyoto are never allowed to reveal their identities."

At this Rias Gremory perks up. "Wait, Kyoto?"

"Well, who else would have armed ninja assassins ready to strike a high-level devil?"

"But why would Kyoto send aid to the Grigori?"

"Ah, about that… let's just say, I'm trying to prevent the next war between you three idiots."

The fiery redhead slightly bristled at that. "Sorry to inform you, but we already know for a fact that these Fallen Angels are working by themselves, without any authority higher up. So actions against them will not damage the fragile ceasefire between the devils and the Grigori."

Huh. Color me impressed. I guess the devils have a better intelligence system than Kyoto first thought. Still, they didn't know everything. "Even though I should applaud you for figuring out that those two didn't have any orders, there's still some information you are lacking."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"They were willing to give you Twilight Healing."

Both of Kuoh's Oneesamas blanch at that. Fallen Angels were willing to gift devils something as powerful as a Sacred Gear? What's next, a Fallen Angel marrying a devil? Huh, funnily enough, I hear that one is in the works.

The Yamato Nadeshiko eyes narrow at me. "How can we trust you on that?"

"Yeah, that might be a little hard to do, since I just saved your mortal enemies."

"One of those two harmed my cute servant," states Rias angrily. "They must pay."

"And they were going to pay - with the nun as the price."

The two stop for a minute to consider my proposal, debating silently between themselves. To be completely honest, I don't really think they believe me, even if it's the truth. I mean, thanks to the mask I'm currently sporting, they can't read my expressions, and they don't know who I am at all. It would be foolish for them to truly take my word at face value. Finally, Rias nods her head in confidence, evidently decided on her course of actions. There's a fiery glow in her eyes - huh, so Kuoh's Onee-sama is just a stereotypical fiery redhead. Should have seen that one coming.

"I must say, shinobi-san," began the Gremory heir as a demonic aura starts to flow from her. So she's choosing to fight. "I am amazed at the daring you have. Not many would choose to stop a devil from her prey. You must know that I can simply kill all the Fallen and make the nun my bishop if I wanted to."

"Eh, figured you would want it that way. I guess you guys are too used to making unfair deals to ever believe one that appears to favor you would be offered your way."

"True. Now, for allying yourself with my natural enemy, BLOW AWAY!"

"Tch. What a pain," I mutter as a large ball of destruction is hurled at me after her scream. Just as it hits, my form vanishes, and the red-haired princess just grins in triumph. Himejima-san, though, looks unsure. Of course, someone with a background in the Japanese magical branch would have prior knowledge of how dangerous someone like me is.

"Buchou, be careful."

"What do you mean, Akeno?"

"She means that attacks like that won't even phase me," I explain. Both girls turn to where my voice was coming from. "Honestly, what did you expect? That I'd stand there and try to fight the power of destruction head on? No, I know how powerful that inherited gift you have can be. So what is some weak person like me to do? Oh yeah: run away. Besides, I'm a ninja - we specialize in speed."

Rias scowls at me, more demonic aura gathering around her. Yeah, she's just a normal, fiery redhead. "Fufufu. You dare to make light of me."

"Buchou-"

"You dare to presume that you can defeat me, a King!"

"Buchou-"

"I will have you disappear!" Another ball of energy is tossed at me. I casually dodge it, allowing it to pass me and destroy a number of trees behind me. Huh, looks like I got her mad. Maybe I should take things up a notch, seeing as she won't listen to my words. Damn - I never told her the one who attacked Raynare and Mittelt is after her idiotic pawn in the first place. I really need to point these things out before I get into pointless fights.

With a snap of my fingers, the blue fire flares up again. The pale light illuminates the anger that the girl is failing to control, while her Queen stands back, worried. Again, demonic aura gathers in Rias' hand. Fox fire versus the power of destruction, huh? This should be interesting. And by interesting, I mean a completely one-sided affair - there's no way I can match up to one of the devil's most powerful abilities. Time for some strategy.

With a flick of my wrist the blue flames shoot out at Rias. She waves them off and shoots down a few balls of that demonic aura. Some more flames quickly lap them up and then counterattack. The girl dodges to the left and shoots off another bolt of demonic power. More flames retaliate.

As our two attacks cancel each other out, I glance at the destruction behind me. I gulp in fear. Nothing. There is nothing behind me. All the trees, the grass, roots - gone. Another killing bolt misses me by a foot. Time to start moving.

I dash over to the right, shooting out small balls of fire to keep the girl occupied. I need some cover to try to set something up. Granted, with that Power of Destruction there's always the chance she can just blow whatever rock or tree I hide behind away, but all I need is a few seconds. I glance back and notice several softball-sized orbs radiating killing intent gather around her. Huh, so she figured that since she can't hit me with her larger attacks, she'll overwhelm me with smaller ones? Elementary, but effective. I dive to avoid the first wave, roll out of the way of the second, and barely jump over the third. At this rate, I'm seriously going to get killed!

I finally spot a statue that seems large enough to hide behind. I make a break for it, but it seems as if the Ruin Princess foresaw that. A small explosion cuts me off my path, forcing me to jump backward. I realize a second too late that this was exactly what Rias wanted as I look up to see a massive ball of pure, highly concentrated demonic aura descend upon me.

One great explosion later, and nothing is left where I was standing except a shallow, smoldering crater. The redheaded princess takes a few huffs of air. That last wave had taken a lot out of her. "Akeno, he's gone. Let's hurry and meet up with the others." Her Queen nods uncertainly. She must have felt something was off.

"Weren't you ever told to never turn your back on a fight until you knew it was over?" I mutter as I materialize next to Rias. Before she can react, my fist buries itself into her sternum, her back arching due to the force of my strike. Rias looks up in shock and pain, only to feel a crushing blow in the back of her skull as she's violently forced into the ground. Her entire body goes limp as I stand up over my defeated opponent. "Damn, I didn't think I'd have to use that against her. And I'm not sure if that is a wise idea, Himejima-san," I mutter again as several shocks of electricity start to frazzle the air around. "You might kill her if you try to attack me, making you a stray devil. I know you've been on the run before, but having an entire faction after your blood will not end prettily."

I glance back at the girl still standing behind me. She nods her head slowly, still suspicious of my intentions, but the electricity gathering in her hand starts to dissipate. Behind my mask I smirk slightly and turn to walk away. It's time to take out that bastard who attacked Raynare and Mittelt.

"Wait, Kurotani-san."

I turn around to face the girl, shocked. "Wait, how… I mean what… when?"

The Yamato Nadeshiko gives a small smile. "You seriously didn't think the daughter of one of Japan's greatest shrine maidens wouldn't recognize a kitsune, did you?"

"Er, well, no. I thought my cover was pretty good. Then again, the inexperienced demon hunter on Sitri's squad figured out there was a kitsune in the school a year ago, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Who else knows about this?"

"Other than I? No one. I'm sure Koneko suspects, seeing as …"

"Yeah, yeah, the nekomata, even if she tries to bury that away, no doubt senses another one like her. Still, I'm generally impressed. You seem to be a lot more capable than your King, at least."

Himejima-san just smiles at that. "I trained under the Queen of Lucifer. I'm supposed to be more capable than my King."

"Ah yes, I heard that Lucifer isn't the most reliable of leaders. So his wife keeps him in line?"

"Fufufufu. I would expect all wives to keep their husbands in line. As I would expect a certain seven-year-old in Kyoto keeps you on your toes as well."

"Keeping up with what's happening in your old world, huh?" I grin, really starting to like this girl. Her intelligence is rather impressive, and a humor to boot? If she wasn't roughly my age, I'd marry her in a heartbeat. "Anyways, I've got to go. If I were you, I'd hurry up and heal her. There might be more trouble than you think at that abandoned church."

This gets the girl concerned. "What trouble?"

"Turns out someone else was after a different Sacred Gear. That's why the two Fallen Angels I saved were lying in a broken heap: they were going to cancel the entire ritual, something which their attacker couldn't afford."

"A different Sacred Gear? Which on~" Her face quickly morphs into one of dread as comprehension arrives. "Ise-kun."

I nod grimly. "Since he's now a devil, the ritual shouldn't kill him. Still, it's highly dangerous, not to mention a powerless devil is an easy prey."

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?"

"I tried, but your King wouldn't allow me to. Don't worry, I'll take care of the Fallen Angel behind all of this - you just help your King and then make your way to the church."

I start to head off, but Himejima-san stops me one last time. "Does he have one? A Longinus?"

Glancing back at the Yamato Nadeshiko, I give a noncommittal shrug and disappear from her sight. It's time to meet up with a rabid crow.

* * *

"Hahaha. Yes! I've got it! I've got the Boosted Gear!" Maniacal laughter cuts through the air. Great, the dumb crow achieves one measure of success and suddenly sees himself as a super-villain. Ugh, best get this over with.

"I'd assume congratulations are in store, old man?"

Dohnaseek swivels his head over to where I am. His shocked face slowly morphs back to happiness as he registers who is talking to him. "Oh, if it isn't that ninja brat that Raynare and Mittelt were swooning after. Hello!"

He seems… quite more energetic than what the two Fallen Angel girls led me to believe. I'm pretty sure they described this guy as someone who talks slowly and rationally, but right now, it's almost as if he's going slightly crazy. "Dohnaseek, correct?"

"Hahaha! I think the proper term is Sekiryuutei now, brat. Boosted gear, boosted gear !"

… Yeah, he's definitely gone crazy. Maybe that ritual they were doing has a very negative side effect on the person who takes the Sacred Gear? Or maybe, since people are born with the gift from God, the miracle-makers are theirs personally and can't be taken away? And there's a severe penalty for those who attempt to do so? That might make some sense. Maybe I should have Kyoto do some research on that.

"So why are you here, ninja-kun? Oh, are you here to stop me?"

"I guess you could say that. I mean, it would be a pain if you just went off and started World War III, with Japan as its epicenter."

"Hah, so that's the reason? All those Shinto idiots are worried about getting dragged into war?" Dohnaseek starts to chuckle quite darkly, obviously trying to build up his new super-villain status. It takes quite a bit of willpower to refrain from rolling my eyes at his idiocy. "War is needed upon this Earth! Blood and violence! Pain and misery! The fear of death permeating throughout the world! Purge the weak and strike against the strong! War… is the world's purification."

"... Okay, so you're saying that your actions are against Japan, correct?"

The insane Fallen Angel glares at me somewhat suspiciously. "Yes. If they are against the world, then they would be against Japan."

"Right, just checking." My killing intent fires up. "I guess it's appropriate to say that you've been judged and sentenced to death, old man."

Dohnaseek laughs crazily and shouts out "Boosted Gear." Another voice sounds off the activation of the Sacred Gear with a simple [Boost!]. Looks like my speculation proved correct. Boosted Gear, otherwise known as "Red Dragon Emperor's Gauntlet." Said to hold the soul of Ddraig, one of the two Heavenly Dragons who interrupted the three-way war between Angels, Devils, and the Grigori. And when I say "interrupted," what I mean is "scared God and the Maou shitless enough that they decided to team up and take the two dragons out." So yeah, this thing is powerful. If I recall correctly, it doubles the users power over and over again until … well, until the battle basically ends. So a longer, drawn out fight would not be wise, to say the least.

"So, ninja-kun, do you really think that you can take on a Longinus, one with the power to slay even God!"

"When it's used by a novice who has no clue what he's doing, then yes, I think I can."

[Boost!]

Hmmm, so every ten seconds, the power-up happens. However, it doesn't seem like Dohnaseek's power has doubled yet, so that means… it's on hold until needed? That's… quite the let-down. I mean, to think that a Longinus of the higher-mid tier has such a huge weakness~ All you would have to do is get one kill shot within the first ten seconds, and bye-bye Dragon Emperor.

Of course, while I'm thinking about this, Dohnaseek takes the opportunity and starts hurling light spears of doom at me. They're pretty weakly thrown, to be quite honest, so it's not that hard to dodge. Still, there's some power behind them, which means I can't narrow the space between us without risking a fatal hit.

The Fallen sees that his tosses are easily avoided and starts to use more spears. Another [Boost!] cuts into our silent battle as he keeps sending light spears my way. This is really starting to remind me of my battle mere moments earlier with Rias, except her attacks were much more destructive and deadlier. I mean, when an amount of energy the size of a softball can cause three foot craters in the ground and blow away large trees as if they were leaves, then there's obviously some power behind it. Still, I don't want to get hit by these things, and Dohnaseek does seem quite a bit cleverer than Rias was, judging by how he's keeping some of his spears on him. He must have realized I specialize more in close combat than long distance, which most likely means he's got experience from the past war. How was this guy under the command of Raynare, who really didn't have a clue what she was doing half the time?

[Boost!] "Hah, that's enough, Boosted Gear! Time to show this brat more power!"

[Explosion!]

Three boosts, which means it doubled three times. So that would means he's currently… eight times stronger than he was? That might actually be a problem. From the second "Explosion" was heard, his light spears grew in size by quite a bit. And when they hit the ground - well, it might not be Rias' three-foot-deep craters, but it certainly is deep enough to make running difficult. And he's shooting them what at first appears as at random, but on a closer look actually is meant to slow me down even more. I mentally sigh in my mind, acknowledging that, despite the insanity, Dohnaseek actually was pretty good.

I hear a small, cheerful laugh from the sadistic Fallen Angel and look up. In his hands, Dohnaseek forms his biggest spear yet - it's at least the length of a car. And I can tell that the concentration of holy power is a lot more than what his attacks have been. To be able to form this while simultaneously hurling semi-powerful ones to keep me occupied… tch, what a pain. A few more of the spears are shot all around me, followed closely by the big one. Trying to cage me in while dropping the bomb, huh? Well, two can play that game…

"Night Reflection."

A large blast knocks out all of the trees and benches in the nearby area, coupled with a loud shriek of pain. As the light dies, Dohnaseek lies nailed to the ground, two light spears piercing his shoulders. His shrieks of agony almost drown out the Sacred Gear's [Reset!]. The Fallen Angel's power immediately drops to his original power level, not that it really matters. The crazy bastard isn't going anywhere.

I walk up to the Fallen, completely unscathed. His face scrunches up in obvious fear as I crouch down. "Huh, not so tough now, are you, Sekiryuutei-sama?"

"You… you have a sacred gear?"

"Yeah. Mom's a human, and somehow I won a lottery despite my chances being cut down in half."

"But… my Longinus…"

"You're a war veteran. I'm sure you know full well what happens when one side knows their opponent's abilities and the other side doesn't. Even if you have ultimate power, if you're ignorant, you lose. Just now, I used shadows to avoid your mega-spear while also redirecting two little one into your shoulders. Had you known my ability, I'm pretty sure you would have avoided doing something so straightforward. As it is, right now, I've got you right where I want you. Now, Sekiryuutei," I whisper with a sweet voice, looking down at the Fallen Angel with a feral grin, "let's you and I have a little talk, shall we?" A small kunai drops into my hand as Dohnaseek stares at me, scared of the punishment that preludes his imminent demise.

* * *

**So there we have it. Rokkun beat Rias. Just remember, Rias... is a power idiot. It's a trait that runs through her peerage (yes, even Kiba Yuuto suffers from this, seeing as he usually just attacks his enemies with a variety of techniques and speed, rather than strategy). Someone who knows he's rather weak when it comes to fights and uses his brain to outfox (get it?) his opponent should easily be able to beat an inexperienced princess in a one-on-one fight. Knowledge is power, people.**


	5. Watchers of the Go-home Club: Epilogue

One week later…

Bright sunlight signals the arrival of morning, waking me with it's warmth. A small, glad sigh escapes my lips as I bask in the morning glow. Another sigh echoes right next to me~

That is enough to wake me up completely. Another sigh? Now that I think about it, I understand feeling the warmth of the sun's rays, but isn't it a little too warm? I start patting my bed slightly, trying to figure out while still in a half-dazed state. Hmm, that right there is pretty soft. I'm pretty sure I don't have any pillows that have that type of of texture. It also seems to bounce back if I poke it. Interestingly enough, a small "Aaan" sound accompanies this.

… "MITTELT!" A second later, a small, screaming bundle wrapped up in my blanket flies out of my room, bouncing off the hallway wall with a dull thud and collapsing in a small heap. A small face framed with blonde hair pokes its way out of the bundle, complete with a tongue sticking rudely at me. One fear-inducing glare later, and the Fallen Angel shrinks back into her little nest.

* * *

"Seriously, haven't I told you to stop sneaking into my bed at night?"

"And haven't you figured out that, no matter how many times you tell me, I'll do it anyways, Kurotani-sama?" The blonde fires back, oddly proud of her perseverance.

"... It would be more acceptable if you decided to actually wear clothes rather than get in my bed naked."

"Nonsense! A girl should never wear clothes when sleeping in a guys bed! Besides, it's not like you haven't seen me naked before." Whatever happened to that shy personality that day Mittelt and I showered together with Raynare? Granted, I thought she was a little small then, but at least her face, as well as the two knockers of hers, made her look around fifteen, which was barely acceptable to satisfy my lust. Now, though, she wants to walk around all day naked, which I wouldn't mind if it hadn't been for the fact that, well...

"Tch, at least you didn't look like an elementary school student at that time."

That's right - the Watcher who had fallen due to lust could now pass as a girl in elementary school. Big eyes. Chubby cheeks. Blonde pigtails making her even younger. Glancing down at the girl now, I would guess she's around eleven or twelve. Evidently having their wings ripped off reverted Fallen Angels to how they were when they fell. In the case of Mittelt, it reverted her back to the time she was a cherub, a type of angel assigned to help humans fall in pure love. From what she told me, unlike what a lot of the Renaissance artists depicted them, cherubim are all pre-teens, which would explain her current look.

It would not, however, explain how her breasts were still the exact same size as they were before. I glance down at her rack that was so out of proportion to the rest of her body. Seriously, that could not be healthy for her back. The young girl catches me peaking down and smirks up at me. "Oh, Kurotani-sama, is something down there interesting?" Her half-lidded eyes eggs me to say something that, if heard by other people, could lead me to jail as a lolicon.

Fortunately, I see through her sad attempt and merely shrug. "No matter what you try, you won't seduce me, Angel."

"That's Fallen Angel to you!"

Yeah, whatever. I wave my hand to show her how much I care and get back to skipping school. I had elected to take a few sick days in order to "recover" from injuries sustained a few days ago. I wouldn't have figured that being approached by the student council president a few weeks ago would have proved to be such a boon when she heard my reasons and immediately allowed me to take off a few days. It might have helped that I humbled her best friend/rival a little bit too.

Speaking of said rival, Rias Gremory finally learned exactly why I had prevented her from roasting Raynare and Mittelt. When she reached the abandoned church (which at that time was on the verge of collapsing), she found a sobbing Asia Argento trying desperately to heal a badly injured Issei and the two other servants that came as backup. For awhile, all was bleak until the amazing shrouded ninja (read: me) arrived with the stolen red gauntlet, thus saving the true Red Dragon Emperor's life. As recompense I had Asia heal my two Fallen friends, which she gladly did. Soon after, Rias offered her the role of bishop in her peerage, and everything was again peaceful.

"At least they're bigger than Raynare's," exclaimed Mittelt, disrupting my train of thought.

"You're still going on about that," I mutter with a deadpan look.

At that moment, the dark-haired Watcher came into the kitchen. "Going on about what?"

Before I can stop her, Mittelt grins at her friend. "Oh, how my boobs are bigger than yours now." Well, it's true. It turned out Raynare was a cherub as well, which would explain why she and Mittelt were such good friends. But, whereas Mittelt has quite the buxom chest for such a petite girl, Raynare is… Well, Raynare had… lost some of her figure. Oh who am I kidding, she's as flat as a cutting board. That's right, the girl who's figure had been such an amazing image of sensuality is now a pettanko. A short, elementary-aged pettanko. Sometimes fate can be a bitch.

I watch as Raynare clenches her fists and lowers her head to hide her anger and embarrassment. "That~ That~ That's beside the point!"

"Um, Ray-chan, I don't think there's a point at all."

"Hey, why do you call her Ray-chan?"

I heave a sigh of annoyance, get up, and head towards the door. It's time for lunch - maybe some ramen? The two girls follow me, bickering. Another sigh. They must expect me to treat them, since the two were my "little sister" and my "half-British cousin," based on the hair color. Since having their wings ripped off basically amounted to banishment for the Grigori, the two Fallen Angels really had no where to go, and since I was the only person who didn't want them dead, the devils decided I'd be their caregiver. At least that's what Himejima-san told me. Then again, my apartment is freaking huge for a teenager, so two little girls makes no difference. That is, of course, if one of the two would stop trying to seduce me.

"Come on, Kurotani-sama! Call me Micchan!"

"I'd rather not."

"Please?"

"No."

"But you called me Micchan in the shower a week ago!"

"I~" I turn to her, ready to explain why I have no desire to call her a pet name (I still haven't forgiven her for sleeping with me naked), only to find an extremely attractive woman, slightly older than me, holding her three-year-old little girl in her arms. Her face just stares at me in horror. "Oh shit."

It's the mother that gave me her phone number that one time. She begins to clutch her toddler closely to her body, as if protecting her. Actually, seeing as she obviously heard what _Micchan_ was saying, that's most like exactly what she's doing. I open my mouth, mostly to say something along the lines of "I guess that means our date is off," but she beats me to the chase. "Stay away from my daughter, you pedophile!" And she runs off down the street as fast as she could.

"Kurotani-sama, who was that woman?"

"Yes, why did it seem that she knew you?"

I glare at the two, thinking about the best way to torture them for making me lose my chance at an older girlfriend. A small idea pops up. "Say, have you two ever wanted to become ninja?"

* * *

**So that's it for what basically amounts to Book 1 of the series. I hope you enjoyed it. Next up: Nekomata of the Club trip**


	6. Nekomata of the Club Trip: Prologue

"Yo, I'm home!"

"Welcome back, Master!"

…. Okay, that was not the response back I was expecting. Slowly my head straightens from looking at my shoes to finding a cute, blonde twelve-year-old girl smiling at me. That I expect to see. What I don't expect to see is a very provocative maid outfit on her petite body. The black and white costume accentuates the girl's surprisingly large bust and modest hips, its skirt short enough to reveal attractive thighs. Knee-high white socks continue down the slender legs. In all, the sight before me of a blonde loli maid would send numerous lolicons into cardiac arrest.

"... What the hell are you doing, Mittelt?" Fortunately, I'm not one of them.

"Mou, Master, there is no need to be rude. Allow Micchan to service you personally !"

"You say that so confidently, but we both know that you become incredibly shy when someone else makes the first move," I deadpan, having experienced it in person. Of course, that was when the girl looked fifteen instead of twelve, so I don't feel quite as guilty as I should. "And what's with referring yourself in the third-person as 'Micchan'?"

The blonde drops her charade, her cheeks puffing out in irritation. "You called me that before!"

"Yes, I did, and I felt it was quite cute at that time. However, you lost that privilege after continually climbing into my bed without any clothes on and without my permission. As such, you will not be called 'Micchan' until you have earned the pet name back."

"... By earning, does that include merits on performances in the bedroom?"

My response is throwing her outside and locking the door behind me. After a few minutes of the poor blonde pounding away to get back in, I deign to help her … by opening the door, dropping her shoes on the front step, and closing the door before she can get in again. Okay, that may seem mean, but the girl is incredibly perverted. This is simply a learning opportunity for her, and the lesson is simple: I have no interest in lolis.

"Ah, Kurotani-san. How was Kyoto?" A voice greets me from my living room.

"Not too bad, Raynare. All they wanted to find out was about the entire episode two weeks ago. They're fairly excited about the Sekiryuutei being Japanese this round, so they felt my actions were appropriate. They also know I took you two in as apprentices - if you and Mittelt are any good, then there's potential in recruiting ex-Fallen Angels. It's basically a no-lose situation for them," I reply before I open my refrigerator, which should hold enough for a small snack before I have to go shopping tomorrow morning. Except I find nothing. "... Say, Raynare? What happened to all of my food?"

"Oh, we ate it all," comes the reply after a second of suspicious hesitation.

"All? I know it wasn't really full when I left, but it should have been more than enough for you two!"

"... Fallen angels have faster metabolisms."

"Faster metabolisms? Since when? … This isn't one of those 'time of the month' things female angels have to deal with, right?"

"Boys should never ask girls about that!" The former Grigori member cries out indignantly.

"So how the hell did all the food disappear? Didn't you go out to eat like I told you too?"

"Well, we didn't want to go to a restaurant or fast-food."

"... Neither of you can cook."

"... We were out of money?"

"Out of money? I left you my credit ca~" It's at this moment that I finally walk into my living room. Or what was my living room. "What the hell happened?!"

Raynare, sitting in a very comfy-looking beanbag, tries a cute, disarming smile to mellow me out a bit. "We may have refurbished your apartment," she shyly bows her head, trying to look as innocent as possible to avoid my wrath.

Needless to say, she failed.

* * *

Okay, I admit it, the two girls did a fabulous job updating my apartment. The couch feels a little like heaven, the bean bag almost hugs you in pure comfort, and the big-screen TV that takes up the entire wall makes me feel like I'm actually in the show. It's A-grade material, too, so I know that the two weren't scammed and cheated.

That said, I'm not going to go and applaud their work. To go behind my back and use my money without my permission seems like a breach of privacy. It also doesn't explain too much about how they maxed out my card. Sure, the couch and TV seem top-level, but I'm still pretty rich for a kid living in a single apartment, and I don't even beg my father for something extra cash. It would take quite a bit to run me dry.

Of course, after searching the rest of my home, I figured out why the two couldn't afford anything to eat. "Okay, why is my bed so much bigger than before?"

"Well, you're a growing boy, plus it gives me and Raynare some more space after some fun in the bed!" I had let Mittelt back in so that she and Ray-chan could both explain themselves. At least the dark-haired former angel looked somewhat downtrodden and guilty - Mittelt looked downright smug.

"I've told you you're not allowed in my bed! And Raynare doesn't even sleep in it!"

"No, you forbade me to go in your bed naked. From now on, I'm going to wear pajamas. And as for Raynare, after seeing the bed, she decided to share as well."

… I really have nothing to say on that subject anymore. It's just too ridiculous. Luckily, two machines in the hallway give me more of an opportunity to complain. "Why is there a full washer and dryer set?"

"To wash our clothes, dummy!"

"You don't have any! You've been using mine! In fact, Raynare is using my long-sleeve shirt that I was planning to wear to school tomorrow! … Wait, are you wearing any underwear under that?"

"You know I don't wear underwear."

"AAGHHH! Okay, calm down Rokudou. It's only a shirt. Granted, it's the only school shirt you have, but it's still only a shirt."

"I thought guys loved girls that wear only button-down shirts with nothing underneath?"

"Shut up, Mittelt! Now, what else did you spend my money on? A toilet with a bidet built in?"

""..."" Both girls casually avoid my eyes. I again scream in anger. I march into the bathroom to find a state-of-the-art toilet with a button-pad to the side. But that's not the only thing I find in the bathroom.

"What… is…. that?" I seethe.

Raynare shyly pitches in the answer. "A new bathtub."

"And why does it seem to be three times the size of what it was originally?"

"... Because it is…"

"... How?"

"Well, we needed construction to knock down a wall," chimed in Mittelt.

"... You two got the owner's approval on this at least." The two girls look confused after I say this. "Wait, you two know that I actually rent this out, right?"

"Oh dear."

"Oops."

"... Please give me a good reason why I should not just throw you two out."

"Um, because we're your sex slaves?"

"That isn't helping, Mittelt!" Raynare screams before slapping her friend with a fan from who knows where. "I apologize profusely for not informing you of this earlier, Kurotani-sama. Please forgive us," she practically cries out, her head bowed and holding the other girl's head down. "We've got nowhere else to go."

"... Fine. I guess I needed a makeover my place anyways. And my dad should be more than willing to help. Just one question," I glare silently for a moment at the blonde maid. "Exactly how did you get that costume?"

"... Kurotani-sama, would you like a nice bath? The bath is equipped with jets that will make your relaxing experience all the more enjoyable! It can ease your mind and allow you to overcome the fact that Micchan may have spent the last of your money on a loli-maid cosplay !"

"Mittelt!"


	7. Nekomata of the Club Trip: Life 1

Toujou Koneko. An extremely petite girl in the first year of high school, though some may say she looks like an elementary school student. Silvery-white hair, hazel eyes. No chest to speak of. All in all, the ideal loli for all lolicons, one of which I'm minutes away from burying six feet in the ground. My target - an athletic looking baldy with a penchant for taking pictures of girls in the changing room. It just so happens that his two friends are also on my "Idiots-who-should-just-die" list.

Still, I'll allow them to confess their sins and see the err in their ways. Of course, that won't stop their punishment, but it might alleviate it. A little.

"Excuse me, perverted trio, may I ask you a question?"

The three great idiots of the school turn to me from their whispered conversation. Judging by their confused looks, they have no idea who I am, which is all the better. If they can't identify me, then I can enjoy my time with them.

"I heard a rumor that the girl's from the first year were peaked on while changing earlier this week. Am I to assume that it was you three?" I already know the answer, of course, but this is a chance for them to repent…

"Yeah! The real prize was seeing Toujou Koneko! She's so cute!"

"67-57-73. Not really my cup of tea, but it is ideal for you, isn't it, Matsuda? "

"What?! Matsuda! Motohama! Why didn't you invite me?!"

So much for repentance.

Five minutes later, I walk away from the trio, two of them with their heads buried in the cement wall and the other one with bulging cheeks from a few punches to the face (he got by slightly since he wasn't at the scene of the crime; still, his perverted stupidity got to me). I smirk as I recall their begging for mercy that I frankly ignored. I mean, justice needed to be meted. An eye for an eye, or in this case, the beating of a lifetime, as well as destroying their photo album of many of the girls of our school freeze-framed in unfortunate moments for them. Ah, hearing their screams of pain and heartache as I slowly ripped up each and every one of those pictures they were hoarding was bliss. I mean, it's not like I'm a sadist or anything, but when people are justifiably punished, it's heartwarming. It's one small step on the road to a better life for them. For the perverted trio, I'm just helping them realize that peeking on girls and openly flaunting porn is not the right path. Well, that's how I justify myself, at the very least.

Now, I completely understand that everybody, in some form and way, is perverted. Let's face it, if we weren't perverted, then the human race would quickly die out. Perversion is the key to having sex, after all. Still, best in moderation - if we all showed our primitive natures, we'd be on the same level as the beasts we came from. So, when idiots like Hyoudou-san, Matsuda-san, and Motohama-san actively and unabashedly broadcast their debauchery… well, righteous fury is appropriate, in my personal opinion. And playing whack-a-perv was actually mildly entertaining.

Then again, maybe bashing their brains a little bit in order to teach them a lesson is somewhat pointless, since after fifteen forgotten beatdowns the boys still haven't learned their lesson. By now, I wouldn't be surprised if the the three have permanent brain damage, Ugh, I've really got to figure out how to hold back. Any more brain damage and those three may be messed up for the rest of their lives. Granted, they're already messed up, but still...

Hmm, looks like someone has witnessed my brutal assault on the three poor souls. It's not like I wasn't expecting this - as a trained assassin, I'm taught how to feel it when someone has been following me, and I've felt this presence quite a bit in the last few weeks. To be honest, it really doesn't matter to me; I'm good enough to easily run away. Still, it would be nice to know who is tailing me. Maybe I should introduce myself?

POOF! With a small cloud of smoke, I disappear and wait in some nearby trees for my unknown stalker to show up. I'm fairly certain its someone from Kuoh. Perhaps the student council is still scouting me out in order to recruit me into their ranks? If so, it would have just been easier if they had asked me what I do everyday - eat, sleep. eat at school, sleep at school, go home and ignore two adorable twelve year old girls, one of whom is actively trying to make me into a pedophile (of course, if she doesn't rat me out then I'm not a criminal, as she says to alleviate any of my worries, completely oblivious to the fact that I have zero interest in any sexual relationship with her), eat, and then sleep. Or, in other words, as un-student-council-like as anyone could be. I wish they would take the hint.

Still, best to wait out and see who it is that's following me rather than blame Shitori-kaicho for everything. And after a few minutes, my patience is awarded: a white-haired, hazel-eyed loli slowly strolls out from behind a corner, stumped as to how I managed to evade her. Huh, to think that the girl whose honor I protected was the very one who was stalking me. Odd how fate often likes to mess around. Well, it's best to find out why Toujou Koneko, the very girl I've been tasked to keep tabs on, has been tracking me the past week. With a small use of my Sacred Gear, "Night Reflection," I disappear into the shadows and pop up right behind her.

"If it isn't Kuoh Academy's mascot? Good afternoon!" The poor girl jumps up, much like a cat when startled. The resemblance makes me smile a bit. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kurotani Rokudou, though I'm sure, seeing as you've been stalking me for the past week, I'm sure you know that full well."

The adorable girl blushes lightly at this in slight embarrassment, which is somewhat shocking, since it's widely known that Toujou-san doesn't show emotions. I guess my sudden appearance really threw her off. "... I wasn't stalking."

"Huh. Would have fooled me."

"... Tch." Ah, looks like the girl is slightly annoyed. My sudden appearance and the fact that I'm teasing her probably has thrown her completely off. Finally, annoyance morphs into accusation. "... You… you know youjutsu."

Crap, did she realize that when I beat the crap out of the Perverted Trio? Then she'll probably figure out that I'm a yokai, since it's mostly a unique technique to them. Perhaps I could pass it off as having a yokai teach it to me? "Yeah, I was once taught to do that, though nothing major. I'm fairly weak in it. Basically, just messing around with my face is my limit."

The girl continues to stare at me suspiciously, but I'm not to concerned. It's a fairly convincing lie, added to the fact that changing your face is basically elementary school work. If I make it seem like that was the best I can do, that should ease her restlessness a bit. Still, to throw her off the track, maybe I should slightly change the topic a bit?

"It's quite impressive that you could notice that, being a first-year. You're so small."

"... Small?"

I yelp as this tiny girl throws a punch at me, forcing me to dive to the side. In my place the girl forms a foot deep crater. I knew she was reasonably strong, but that's just ridiculous for a girl with such a small body.

And why is she so upset right now?

"Wooh! Hold on, little gir~"

"... Little?"

Another crater appears, this one another foot deeper. Seriously, why's this girl trying to kill me? Unless…

"Um, are you thinking I'm inferring your chest, or lack thereof, when I call you 'small'?"

In response the quiet girl aims another punch at me. Dodging is becoming a hassle, so…

"?! … Where did you go, Senpai?"

"Look, even if you had the chest size of your King, that doesn't change the fact that you're small and weigh less than forty kilos. Then again, those giant tits of hers probably weigh five kilos each, so you might just tip the sca~" My form flickers away again, as the girl realizes I'm behind her and throws another punch.

"... Stay still so that I can punch you!"

"As much as I wish to help you release your misplaced anger, I'd prefer to avoid your crater-inducing punches that could potentially kill me," I deadpan to the little girl. "Besides, we have to get back to the slight issue at hand. Now, Toujou-san, care to explain to me why you've been following me? I'm not the most charming guy around, neither the best-looking." The young girl blushes slightly at that, which mixes humorously with the fury behind her eyes. But wait, am I good-looking? I know Micchan lusts after me, though I assumed it was mainly because of a slight bad-boy aura that I carried. Maybe I'm better looking than I take for granted. "And as far as I recall, I haven't helped you at all. In fact, I tend to avoid you. Now, either there's another reason why you're following me, or someone put you up to it." I glare into her eyes, prying open any secrets that she might hide. For a moment she strives to stay strong, but her willpower gradually wilts under the pressure from my gaze. With a small sigh, she waves the white flag.

"... Both."

"Huh? Both? As in there's something about me that perks your interest and someone sent you?" I think about it for a minute, waiting for the comprehension to arrive. "Ah, Himejima-san sent you."

Toujou-san simply nods hesitantly. "... Akeno-san wishes to know more about sempai. She wants to know if sempai is a threat or not."

"And not if I'm single or not? That's a shame; I would have actually considered breaking my rule of not dating anybody within two years of my age. Of course, it's rude to talk about another girl in front of one as adorable as Toujou-san," I plaster a smile, using flirtation to see how the loli would react. Unsurprisingly, the girl hardly reacts at all; she was well known at school for rarely showing emotions, and I have the sneaking suspicion she could easily tell if someone was ever lying or not. Perhaps it's based on more of her nekoshou powers? "But what about that other reason for following me? There's something interesting about me?"

Again, the young girl hesitantly nods her head. "... Sempai… smells."

"... Dammit, I'm not covering up my scent." Of course she would realize that I'm a kitsune. The girl is a nekomata! Scratch that, she's not just a nekomata - she's the best of them, a nekoshou! She could probably sniff out any yokai within twenty miles if she wanted to. She must have realized there was a slightly above-average yokai nearby a little over a two weeks ago, when I took on her boss. It would be hard to cover up my scent after showing off enough power to beat a High-level devil and a Longinus user, let alone impossible if I forgot about it. Which I did. "So you know I'm a fox?"

"... Sempai knows about me, don't you?" The way Toujou-san said it, it was more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah. I've known about you for awhile. Listen, I think we started off poorly. Allow me to introduce my self again. My name is Kurotani Rokudou, though I don't really care if you call me something else. I'm in the third year here at Kuoh, having transferred here after my first year of high school. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The girl slightly tilts her head slightly to the side, which is adorable. I can really see the cat in her. "... Toujou Koneko. Roku-sempai may call me whatever, but perverted names are illicit. Please take care of me."

"So you call me "six," huh? Eh, I guess it's good enough. Though I'd prefer not too, I can't really see any other name for you besides "Koneko-chan," so I guess I'll just call you that." Another very slight blush escapes from the stoic face. Huh, maybe lil' Miss Mascot may like that more than she lets on. "Well, Koneko-chan, I'm not going to stop you from spying on me. I understand Himejima-san is concerned for her King and as your superior ordered you to find out as much as you can about me. Funnily enough, if she had just come to me, I would have been straightforward with her. Now, do you have any questions for me?"

"… Is Roku-sempai here for anything else other than keeping an eye on Buchou?"

I smile. "You figured that out by yourself, didn't you?"

Koneko-chan again nods. "... For supposedly keeping Buchou in line, Roku-sempai disregards her too much."

"You're quite a bit more clever than I think you realize, Koneko-chan. Next to Himejima-san, you might just be the most intelligent member of Rias Gremory's peerage. Yes, there is another reason for me to be a student at Kuoh." I look at her with a stern yet kind look. "You."

A slight widening of her eyes tells me the nekoshou was not expecting that, though it's quickly replaced with a look of understanding. "...I'm a yokai."

"That's right. And we in Kyoto like to make sure all the yokai we know about are doing just fine. They're probably even more concerned about you since you're one of two nekoshous left."

Koneko-chan glares at me angrily at the mention of another cat yokai. "... Does Kyoto know where Nee-sama is?"

"That I can't say. But what I can say is they sent the best to keep you safe."

With that the nekomata rolls her eyes. She must not believe in my strength. Ah, the president of the Occult Research Club and her Queen must have kept our fight quiet, making it look like the Fallen Angels were tougher than presumed. Perhaps Miss Rias passed along a request to Himejima-san about me, and the Yamato Nadeshiko is using someone else to look into my motives? Clever, but still too round about. If you really want to know something, go straight to the source - my senseis during my ninja training drilled this into my skull when we were working on reconnaissance and information gathering. Sure, you might stumble on people like me who are more than willing to reveal their plan at world domination (why is it that villains often seem like they're required to explain their evil plot?), but the truly dangerous guard their secrets jealously. After all, a secret is a weakness. The minute that it is revealed, you might as well march straight to hell. Still, this is a calculated risk - by showing my hand, I'm hoping the ORC can drop some focus off of me, trusting that I'm only here to protect Japan and Koneko-chan. If they don't, all that will change is their suspicions of me. I can still keep an eye on them, and still without being seen. But it would be easier if they trusted me.

"Believe what you want, Koneko-chan. Just know that no matter where you go, I will make it my personal duty to keep you safe, just as much as your teammates do." I then do something completely unlike myself - I ruffle her head a little. "I mean, in the end, a cute face like yours should smile a bit more."

Another nod, and I can't help but realize why this little girl has such a following at Kuoh. She really is completely adorable. In a few years, she'll be exactly my type of girl… then again, her sister is exactly my type of girl, so that would make sense. Man, I hope I'll get to see that girl again; perfect boobs, perfect butt, flirtatious teasing attitude…

This time the girl connects on her punch. "... Pervert."

"Wait, how did you know~ Ah, you're reading my _ki_! And here I thought you would try to avoid your yokai abilities at all costs."

"... What do you mean?" Crap. Now I've got her wondering what all I know.

"Ah, nothing, nothing. Just work as a spy, you know?" That was too close. I can't believe I almost blew my true cover. "Anyway, Koneko-chan, I'm off." And before she could say anything, my figure blurs away again. The girl looks around and, deciding that I really left this time, she huffs and stomps off to where the Occult Research Club meets in the old schoolhouse. A premonition pops up in my mind of her venting her anger on a pathetic perverted dragon. Well, as long as no harm befalls me.  
But I should follow her, see what she reports to her King. How annoying! I cut off all readings of my _ki _and follow at a slow pace. It gives me ample time to think things out, specifically about her potential as a nekoshou, by far the most powerful cat yokai in existence. These creatures can have more than enough ability to rival Ultimate-level devils. Koneko, to be honest, probably has more potential than I do. She'll more than likely have enough power to destroy armies in the future.

Which means she can be a valuable ally in the future. The Gremory Clan is by all intents and purposes one of the major players in the Underworld. They are incredibly wealthy and explosive magical power. When the clan has a son that becomes the strongest Maoh and a daughter that has earned nicknames like "Crimson-Haired Ruin Princess" and "Princess of Destruction," you have serious sway in the devil world. And luckily for Kyoto, a yokai joined such a powerhouse clan.

I was actually instructed months ago to contact Koneko and see if I could get her to help us out. But the girl has major trust issues - like the only people she hangs out with, let alone talks to, are all in the Occult Research Club. For someone like me to just pop up in front of her and ask her to basically become a go-between would be dumb. She'll probably run away from me and get her King to refuse any further contact.

Luckily, the elders were more than willing to accept my opinion, and told me to do it when the time was right. I figure today is off to a good start for the relationship - I might have pissed her off a bit, but I've told her I'm trying to keep the peace. Sure, it's not like she completely trusts me, but my words more than likely calmed her, and by extension her master, down. All's probably good right now. I should be able to give a good report tonight.

* * *

CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!

All of the people cramped in the small club room turn to face the applause. Most are startled by the break in silence. A few are curious. Himejima-san and Koneko-chan eye warily. Rias looks up in dread. And the silver-haired maid onee-sama unleashes a small amount of killing intent. It seems my arrival isn't that welcome.

"Speak, intruder,"

"Intruder? To think, I am being called an intruder when a meeting of devils occurs on the very land my people gave to them."

There are a few confused glances shot here and there. Only a very few of all the room's occupants seem to realize what I'm talking about: the gray-haired onee-sama, the redhaired princess, her queen and her rook, and a few of the pompous blonde jerk's peerage. Oddly enough, said blonde doesn't seem to have a clue what's going on, instead reveling in a dragon's humiliation.

"I must congratulate you, Phenex Raizer-sama. Your pawn defeated a talentless boy who has been a devil for all of a month and who relies on a power that takes time to warm up. You must be so proud of your precious pawn. Of course, you haven't even thanked her; perhaps you don't even care about her?" I snicker at his glare. "Then again, what kind of moron speaks down at a Longinus whose soul made the devils revered as gods quiver in fear. I hope for your sake the dragon didn't hear you - you will really hate yourself if he did."

"A Longinus' soul? What are you talking about? And who are you?"

"Clearly your brain is focused more on the women around yo~ wait, is that your sister?"

A short blonde instantly blushes and starts mumbling something about training and what not. I hope that's all, but seeing as the guy made out with two of her fellow servants, I wouldn't look past him making a move on his sister.

As if to answer the question I never said, Raizer shrugs. "Younger sisters are vital to the image of a harem."

"You're one sick dude."

"Shut up!" The Phenex loses his composure for a second before reigning it in. "Anyways, you have yet to tell us who you are."

"Ah, well, I would have thought it was quite obvious, since I'm in a black uniform with a mask. And it looks like quite a few of your harem is Japanese, so I assume you have some inkling of our culture."

"... In other words, you won't tell me," the bad-boy wannabe deadpans. "Rias, my dear, it's uncomely of you to not introduce your guest."

I wait for the redhead's answer, but it seems she's just as lost as everyone else is. "Ah, she might be a little gunshy. I may have punched her in the stomach a couple times a few weeks ago. Trying to stop a war and all."

The gray-haired devil immediately turns to the redhead, surprise evident on her face. Obviously the young lady had kept the recent events quiet from her family. "Rias-sama, is this true?"

"Th~ There was no chance of war! Those fallen angels attacked my cute servant, and they were working by themselves." I smirk slightly at that. It wasn't completely true, though the Ruin Princess doesn't know about that. Kyoto is already working on a counter-offense if what I found out from those fallen angels is true.

"Believe me, Grayfia Lucifridge-sama, the entire matter is cleared up. Kyoto is making sure of that."

The gray-haired beauty turns back to me, calculating. "... If that is the case, then thank you. Though there is no need to use such a suffix for a maid."

"Then again, you are the wife of the Maou. Plus, I could never disrespect someone as beautiful as you, even if I know I have no chance in hell." I blink for a second, reflecting on my words. "Then again, hell is where your husband rules, which insures my lack of success."

Lucifridge-sama smiles slightly, somewhat amused, before she bows her head in gratitude. Oh my, a goddess doth bequeath unto me her gratitude! My life is fulfilled!

"You know, this is all fun, but what are you doing here, shinobi-san?"

"Ah, well, I guess I've come to give you a warning, Raizer Phenex-sama."

"A warning? What, are you going to fight me or something? Because you would never win."

"Oh? I wouldn't be too sure of that if I were you. You don't get hurt because you're immortal, but that doesn't mean you can't be defeated. You just can't get hurt."

"What, so will you seal me or something?"

"Please, ninja aren't from some kind of anime where idiot kids are the reincarnations of gods. That would be stupid. But there are other ways to keep people from moving." I shrug my shoulders to end the topic. "That's not the point. I'm here to warn you about entering Japan unannounced again. We could arrest you and declare war on the Underworld."

"Hah. The Shinto faction taking on the devils? That is hilarious."

"I'm sure Lucifridge-sama doesn't see it as 'hilarious;' I'm sure she's actually worried what the ramifications of going into such a war would entail. Perhaps both the Grigori and Heaven would side with us…" I notice the Ultimate Queen's eyes widen at the political disaster of what Raizer Phenex coming back to Japan could bring. Point for me. "But then again, that's if you choose not to heed my warning."

The blonde boy frowns at my explanation. My words are fairly understandable, even for a perverted idiot. At last he nods his head and with a bored shrug turns to the magic circle. "Rias, the next time we meet will be at the game." With that he and his peerage disappear in magical light.

I turn to the Gremory heiress. "You know, you probably could hide out here on the surface until you're ready. He's not coming back - getting clearance to come to Japan would be too much of a hassle, even from someone with the influence of a Phenex."

Rias looks at me, trying to read what my actions are. Finally, she shakes her head in the negative. "No, we will play the game in ten days time. It's a chance, and I will take it. Besides, with a little bit of training I believe my cute servants can overcome Raizer's."

With a little sigh, I turn to leave. "Maybe, but can they overcome Raizer?" A little flick of the shadows, and I disappear from the occupants of the room.

All told, this little meeting was quite interesting. Devil politics - I must say, this is practically a perfect move by the Gremory and Phenex patriarchs. The union of the two families would have been extremely beneficial, but I really can't see it ever happening. Rias Gremory has too much pride to accept an arranged marriage, especially to someone who sees her only as a toy. And if she's forced into it, she'll most likely be broken. That will to trickle down into her peerage as well, including my charge. I inwardly groan when I realize this. It might just be best if I follow the group of power idiots on their training adventure, to insure a certain nekoshou's improvement. This is just going to be troublesome.

* * *

"Hello? Black Fox here."

"Ah, Rokudou-kun! How's life with the devils?" A new voice answers my call-in. Looks like they switched Megu-neechan for someone … male. Ugh.

"... You know this is supposed to be an official update, right? Why the hell are you acting so casual? And why aren't you calling me by my code name?"

"Eh? That code name? It sounds too chuuni."

"... I thought it was clever," I sniff. Great, I get a smartass whenever I call now. Looks like the elders wisened up and decided to make my life even more annoying. Ten more years, and I can get back at them. Ten years.

"So, how's our little lolicon doing?"

"I AM NOT A LOLICON!"

"Aren't you always peeking on a girl who looks like an elementary school student? And aren't you actually engaged to one, too? Rumors also have it that the two you currently employ dress up as maids."

By now I really am crying. The worst thing is that all that is basically true. No matter how much I deny it, it seriously makes me look like a lolicon. "I've told you before. I like Onee-chans! Older women! Why am I always saddled with brats?"

"Haha, it's all good! Just remember that those little girls you like will someday be just like Yasaka-sama."

"I'm not sure if anybody can have such an erotic body as Yasaka-sama, but thank you for the sarcastic optimism."

"So, what happened today, Rokudou-kun?"

"I dropped in uninvited on a devil meeting. Turns out Rias is kind of in the same boat as I am."

"Oh? She's also in an arranged marriage?"

"... Yeah. Damn, you're pretty clever."

The voice on the other end chuckles. "Thank you for the flattery, Rokudou-kun. Maybe we could talk about some of my better qualities over dinner sometime?"

"... I also gave the princess' fiancee a warning about coming into Japan. Might have threatened war."

The guy laughs at my blatant attempt at changing the topic. "Ah, don't worry about it. Blackmail is always a valid tool to make people do what you want when it comes to politics. It's their fault if they take it seriously. Anything else for today?"

"Yeah, I was confronted by Toujou-san today."

"Oh, that's wonderful!"

"...Pardon me?"

"Well, it's been decided that it is time for the second part of the plan to ally Kyoto with Gremory to begin."

"So keeping an eye on Toujou-san was only step one?"

"Yes. Speaking of 'keeping an eye' on her, what do you think about the nekoshou?"

"Hmmm… she's got major trust issues, which actually helps in judging others. She's got good instincts in that regard. Also, she dislikes perverts."

"And what do you think about her… physically?"

"Huh? Cute, I guess. In a lit~"

"Oh cute? Good, good. That's good to hear."

"... Okay, what's going on? What's with the sudden interest in Koneko's appearance?"

"Oh? Believe me, Rokudou-kun, this end doesn't care that much. We were just hoping you liked her."

"... Huh?"

"You see, the council of elders here have decided that Toujou Koneko would be an excellent concubine for you."

"... WHAT?!"

"Your new mission is to make the nekoshou fall for you. Good day."

… Wait… did they just tell me … no… SHHIITTT!


	8. Nekomata of the Club Trip: Life 2

"Hey, Masterrrr! Are we there yettttt?!"

"Will you shut up, Mittelt? We're trying to not let the Occult Research Club find out about us following them, remember?"

"But I'm so tireddddd!"

"Tell that to someone who slept last night," I grumble under my breath.

"Heh? Was Kurotani-san that excited that two girls were sleeping next to him?" The other one of our group, Raynare, gives a mischievous smirk, trying to see how I'd react. "Perr~vert!"

"Hah, it just so happens that you, Ray-chan, take up way too much space and practically kicked me off the bed."

The black-haired loli blushes bright crimson at the humiliating remark. "That's not true!"

"Actually, Master's right. You some how kicked me off as well," chimes in Mittelt helpfully. I reward her with a slight pat on the head and her pet name, which she laps up. She is frankly way too easily pleased.

After a few minutes of light-hearted bickering, the little blonde former angel poses a question. "Hey, Master! I didn't see you when Ray-chan kicked me off, and you were supposed to be between us. Where did you go?"

"Ah, yes, well, I couldn't sleep, so I got on my computer… You see, this week isn't just a vacation, right? I needed ideas on training and what-not."

"Wait, this week is really to train us? I thought you were only joking about that!"

For the next few minutes, the two little girls complain in a loud whisper about all the unfairness of being forced to be ninja, not having a life, not progressing in their relationship with me (Mittelt especially focused on that topic), etc. etc. I secretly sigh in relief, glad that the two hadn't noticed my little white lie.

Now, it might seem suspicious that a teenaged boy like me would be on my computer at night while my two roommates were asleep. I mean that is the hour girlfriend-less boys spend time with Mrs. Palmer and her five sisters enjoying a late night show. Unless, of course, you're Hyoudou Issei - in his case any hour of the day is fair game for that date. Fortunately, I am not Hyoudou-san; I'm not even someone who watches porn. Never really saw the point of it, to be perfectly honest. I mean, I've known Yasaka-sama, whose beauty rivals any goddess, my entire life, so very few women could ever amount to anything close to her. And besides, watching someone else have sex to get yourself excited is just pathetic.

So no, I was not watching porn in the middle of the night. Instead, I was "training." You see, after I got the mission, an email was sent my way, telling me that a package would arrive that night. I was to complete whatever was in the package before I left to keep an eye on the Gremory group. Arriving home, I found said package - a tiny little box holding a flash drive, with a note attached saying I was to train using the flash drive without anyone around. This was the reasoning of why I found myself in front of a computer screen in the middle of the night.

Now, these flash drives aren't that uncommon. Often times ninjas are informed of their missions through them. Once you're done viewing the contents, it is very easy to destroy. Plus, Kyoto likes to code the ninja's DNA into the drive itself, so that only the shinobi can load it up - that way, if it ever gets in someone else's hands, it would be perfectly useless. I honestly think a simple message sent through magical means is just as reliable and less expensive, but the elders stand by their belief that, since they run the magical world of Japan, the magical side should embrace whatever technology its non-magical brethren think up and expound upon it. Hence the magically-empowered flash drives being sent through magical means.

In the past, I've gotten various facts about missions I was a part of. Everything from height and weight of the target to the last time the target's fifth cousin twice removed ate out at a restaurant. Okay, maybe not that detailed, but most of the time I get information that ensures my success in my mission. So, naturally I was expecting various charts, statistical analysis, patterns and such on each and every member of Rias Gremory's peerage. The least I was expecting was a letter confirming my orders from some high-ranking official.

What I was not expecting was an eroge.

For those of you who are unaware of what an eroge is, allow me to explain. You see, for some girlfriend-less perverts like Hyoudou Issei, watching porn isn't enough to satisfy Mrs. Palmer. So, in order to really get his mind into whatever state he needs, said girlfriend-less pervert resorts to living out his fantasies through the means of a computer game. Most of the time the main character is some nobody at a high school - in other words, Hyoudou-san before he was introduced into the world of devils and angels. That character usually has a crush on some girl who is completely out of his league. So, the player levels up his character and continually talks to his crush until he finally wins the girl's heart. Of course, since this is a game for perverts, "winning the girl's heart" means "using a computer avatar to bang some cartoon girl senseless." And, to top it off, other unattainable-in-real-life girls make their way into the character's life and create a potential romance/have computer sex.

It's basically playable porn.

And the elders of Kyoto sent this to me.

As training.

…

To top it off, a warning immediately flashed on the screen when I plugged the flash drive in, saying that the second I try to remove the drive or in any way impede any progress within the game, a siren would announce to the world that Kurotani Rokudou was playing an eroge. I knew enough about my superiors to know this was no idle threat. So I was forced to complete the "harem route" of the game, which mysteriously mirrored my life, what with having a way-too-young fiancee; a child-like, white-haired love interest; and two maids that looked like they were half the main character's age. One was a big-boobed blonde and the other was a raven-haired pettanko.

… I swear, once I became the nine-tails' husband, I will make sure every single one of the elders will be punished in the most horrible ways imaginable. And then I'll make sure they die very painfully and slowly as images of this loli eroge flash before their eyes, making that the last thing they see before I bury the hatchet… in the back of their skulls.

"Um, Master, why are you smirking rather evilly at nothing in particular?" The two girls look at me with somewhat adorable eyes. Odd, the two maids in last night's game actually had the same exact look~ No me! Forget about it! Forget about that shitty game!

"Ah, nothing. By the way, Raynare?"

"Hmmm?"

"Since when did you get a maid uniform?"

"You just realized now?"

"No, I knew you were wearing one since the moment you stepped out completely changed this morning. I've just been trying to reject the image this entire time."

The girl pouts cutely with blushing with embarrassment. "I~ I thought it looked good on Micchan, so I ordered one too…"

Mittelt grins proudly, patting her friend on the back. "Don't worry, Ray-chan! You look positively adorable!"

… Oh kami, this is exactly what happens in that blasted game! Ignore them, Rokkun! I know you can ignore them!

"Do you like it, Kurotani-san?"

IGNORE! IGNORE!

"Now, now, Ray-chan, a maid must never call Master by his nam~"

"REJECTED! RAYNARE, NEVER CALL ME 'MASTER'! AND MITTELT! STOP CALLING ME THAT AS WELL!" Ah, my self-discipline fails me yet again. I cough quietly into my hand before reverting back to my dead-pan look. "Anyways, why did you two decide to wear your maid cosplay when we're going on a training trip?"

"Because we're Master's maids!" Mittelt enthusiastically replies, completely ignoring my loud request. Raynare just stands there, nodding in agreement. "And besides, Master is training us to become ninja. Why can't we be ninja maids?"

"... I can't really answer that…" Great, the blonde pervert actually brought up a good point. I mean, having two girls around is somewhat difficult to explain - I've somehow passed it off to my neighbors as Raynare is my half-sister (she inexplicably looks Japanese; don't ask me how) and Mittelt is her half-American cousin. Then again all of my neighbors are partiers who stay out late and are too tired once they get home to even care what I'm saying most of the time. There's always the chance that someone who isn't exhausted and dumb enough to believe such obvious lies stumbles upon them. Saying my dad is pretty rich (it would explain how I got the apartment and is, in fact, not a lie, though I'm sure nobody would like to hear how my father is so wealthy) and sent me two maids-in-training would be a lot more believable than these two being related to me.

"Fine, but do either of you even know the first thing about being a maid?" The two give me completely blank stares. "... Right, I guess we'll focus on the ninja half now and figure out the maid half later." A certain gray-haired goddes~ err, devil comes to mind, but getting her to help would take a miracle. "Anyways, I'm pretty sure the devils are all getting ready to train. Let's set up camp over here…"

* * *

BONNG!

Huh? How the hell does a tree make a gong sound when it's hit? I mean, it's wood, and a gong is a round metal~ ah, nevermind! I'm a ninja who can literally hide in shadows. Some tree making a metal-sounding noise isn't the weirdest thing I've ever experienced.

No, instead seeing a path of pulverized and uprooted trees behind a midget of a girl may be.

CRREEEAAAK!

Oh, another tree gets blown away. The white-haired girl agilely leaps away as the roots disentangle themselves from the earth, flipping through the air and landing casually on her two feet a good five meters away. Typical cat. And I'm supposed to make this girl that can punch trees into the air fall in love with me… I really hate my life.

Yes, I am here in the woods, practically stalking a girl who looks ten and trying to figure out how to mate with her. Yeah, I'm tempted to call the cops on myself.

That said, I've actually been doing my job of "observing" her while Koneko uses trees like normal people use punching bags. For being such a small girl (and small as in all-around size, not bust - I learned that the hard way), she has a ton of power. Where did it all come from? I mean, I know she's the rook for Rias Gremory, which makes her powerfully equipped in both offense and defence, but this is just insane. I mean, I'm not necessarily the biggest guy in the world, but I'm at least twice Koneko-chan's size and have some amount of power, but I doubt I could punch a dent into a tree, let alone smash it into splinters and sawdust.

I can just imagine what she could do if she ever got in touch with her natural senjutsu. Most people believe it's a learned ability, but for nekomata, it's inherited. And that's the one major red flag waving - the girl is actively trying to ignore who she is, which is seriously bad news. A nekoshou who's avoiding her true power is a danger to herself and anyone around her. Her lack of control could easily cause someone to wither and die, no matter how much she doesn't want it to happen. Uncontrolled senjutsu can even envelope a yokai in touki so strong, whoever touches it will immediately have all channels of ki in their body shut. In other words, instant death. I'm guessing that, since she hasn't seen her sister in over five years, she never met anyone who could properly explain why repressing her powers will only bring more problems.

Judging from her current condition, this little white-haired nekoshou still has some time before she blows. That's the good news. I have plenty of time to try and convince her that senjutsu isn't as horrible as she believes, thanks to her sister. Of course, if her sister hadn't done what she had, who knows what horrible things this little Koneko-chan would have had to suffer. If only that sister had actually thought about telling her that - this entire issue with the senjutsu would never have happened.

Just as I'm thinking on how to break the news that her sister isn't as horrible as Koneko-chan thinks, the little nekoshou speaks up. "... How long are you going to be there, Roku-senpai?"

I smirk, amused at being caught. Using the shadows I pop up in front of her. "Oh, have I been discovered? Looks like someone was subconsciously using ki."

"... What are you doing here, senpai?" Koneko cutely pouts, obviously displeased I'm here and what I might have implied.

"Well, we in Kyoto have to look after our own, right?"

"... I don't know anything about Kyoto."

"Ah, true. I understand you've lived most of your life among the devils, correct?"

"... Why do you know so much about me? I've never met you before the other day." Crap. This is not going well. Even with her emotionless expression, I can tell she's somewhat afraid.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm just a simple guy here to protect a cute girl." Koneko seems to be taken aback by that, and I can even tell a light blush appearing on her cheeks. Holy shit, the eroge bull actually works!

"... That still doesn't explain why you know about me."

"Let's just say we've watched you for a while." And when I say "watch" what I mean is followed her entire life. We know what food she eats, what her hobbies are, what she likes to study in school. Hell, we know that she used to have a crush on her fellow servant under Rias Gremory, Kiba Yuuto. But, since Kiba seemed like he had absolutely no interest in girls at the time (actually, that probably hasn't changed), that crush ended quickly.

But most importantly, and most unfortunately, we know her past. Frankly, her past is just too cruel. No one should ever have to go through what she had to. And she was only a nine-year-old little girl.

The girl's eyes grow cold. Perhaps she realizes that Kyoto may have been able to save her? I wouldn't blame her if she held my people responsible for her childhood. But luckily, I'm young enough that I can just brush that aside and act like she can rely on me. I just have to play my cards right…

"I'm sorry for what you went through. You needed someone that could save you from that ordeal, and your fellow yokai were not there for you. I only wish I could have been there to ease your pain."

Koneko looks up at me again. I can tell she hasn't given up her anger and distrust, but I can see that she accepts my apology a bit. There also faint traces of a blush. Huh, maybe I should try more of those eroge, just without the "ero" in it. That would be dating sims, right?

I watch as she continues to pummel trees into submission. "Preparing for your fight with the Phenex?"

"... Yes. I must be strong to help Buchou."

"I could help you, you know."

"... I'm fine, Roku-senpai."

"Ah, come on. I might not look like it, but I know quite a bit of hand-to-hand combat. My most basic weapons are knives and kunais, so I have to know how to get in close. For instance," I suddenly appear right in front of her, too close for her to really throw her (very little) weight around, "how would you get away if someone got this close."

"... Knee you in the crotch."

Well, that would certainly be effective. "... Okay, and if that someone wasn't me or any other guy?" The girl frowns at that. It's something to consider, especially since she will only be facing women in the upcoming Rating Game. "Meet me here once you get through your little lesson with Hyoudou-san, and then I can give you some pointers. And no worries - I won't teach you any senjutsu."

"... You seem to know a lot about me, Roku-senpai."

"Hey, just be glad I don't know your three sizes. Oh, by the way, the Perverted Trio do. I beat the crap out of them because of that, but I thought you'd like to know." The nekoshou instantly scowls at that. I have a feeling poor Hyoudou Issei was soon to be in line of some massive punishment. He deserves it, of course.

"... And senpai?"

"Huh? Oh, whether I remember what they said?" A nod. "Nah. I find beauty cannot be measured in numbers…" This just make her look at me suspiciously. I smirk. "You have good instincts, Koneko. It's something that many nekomata have, and since you're the best of them, I would venture to say that whatever your gut says is probably true."

"... Thank you." The little girl blushes a bit at my compliment before she turns away to meet up with the Pervert King. Well, if this is one step closer to having her fall for me, all the better. Still, it would help if she actually had breasts. 67 centimeters is way too small for a fifteen-year-old girl.

Suddenly, a log is shot at me at incredibly high speeds. I just barely dodge it. I glance up and notice Koneko walk off, slightly upset. Oops, she probably read my _ki_ again. Gotta keep track of that.

With that, I slip back into the shadows. Her tips that she gives Hyoudou-san will prove useful to what I can teach her.

* * *

"EEEKKK! Master, I'm going to be killed!"

I hum in response, enough to let Mittelt know I was listening, and get back to reading my book. The girl shrieks again and dives to avoid another blow from her short challenger.

"Um, Master?" Raynare looks up to me with skeptical eyes. "Explain to me why you're allowing the devil cat to try and kill us."

Hearing this, I sigh tiredly. "Raynare, don't call me 'Master.'" I then glance up to see Koneko-chan victimize a poor tree again, the splinters shooting off in all directions. "As to why I've ordered you and Mittelt to dodge everything my new pupil throws, the reason is twofold. One, as ninja you are supposed to be quick. I've had you two running a lot lately to build up your endurance so that you can be ready for the drills that will increase your short-distance quickness. I was going to be the one attacking you, but Koneko-chan here needed training, so I felt she could do the pummeling."

"And the second reason?"

I watch over the top of my book as the nekoshou destroys a boulder the size of a small car. "Koneko-chan has to learn that a straight punch hardly ever hits."

After another five minutes, the two combatants lie on the ground, panting heavily. I close my book and walk casually up to them. "You know, some pervert may actually be moved at seeing you two with your chests moving up and down and sweat glistening down."

"Oh, does Master have a fetish for seeing girls tire themselves out?"

"... Pervert."

"Mittelt, shut up. And Koneko-chan, I said 'some pervert.' I, for one, prefer my girls to not be out of breath after ten minutes."

"Is that so, Master? Then I will train as hard as possible in order to gain your love!"

"... Anyways, Koneko-chan - what did you learn about today?"

"... I am too slow."

"Hmmm. I can see why you would say that, seeing as you didn't hit Mittelt once. But I don't think that's the reason. Mittelt, why was she not able to hit you?"

"Well, Master, the cat kept doing the same move. When I saw what it could do earlier, I knew it would hurt a lot and make it so Master wouldn't want to see my fac~"

"Thank you, Mittelt, for your observations," I cut her off quickly, knowing she'll go on and on about trying to impress me. "As you can see, Koneko-chan, you telegraph your punch. Now, it might work on someone who hasn't seen what damage that punch can do, but anybody who doesn't underestimate your small body won't fall for it."

"... So, what should I do?"

"Do exactly the opposite of what you told Hyoudou-san earlier."

"... Huh?"

"What I mean is aim for something other than 'the center.' The human body is a large target, and there are multiple areas to inflict pain. Also, don't try to throw a punch with all of your power at one time - it wastes too much energy, especially if you miss. If you had conserved your energy, you would have been able to keep fighting for a lot longer. As it is, I'm impressed you lasted a full ten minutes - it shows that you have tremendous endurance."

"Ah, Master is impressed that I lasted ten minutes!"

I scoff at Mittelt's comment. "Actually, it should be far less tiring to dodge rather than to throw a punch. The fact that you fell at the same time as someone throwing her entire weight around for ten minutes is kind of pathetic." That quiets my blonde maid.

"... So, what will you teach me, Roku-senpai?"

"Glad you asked, Koneko-chan. I'm going to point out several parts of the body that might not seem like they would do much, but in fact cause major damage. Your foe will not expect it, meaning you can knock them down much quicker than you can now. I will tell you, though, those points are really easy to find using senjutsu. However," I continue, stopping the nekoshou from interrupting me, "since I know you're against senjutsu, I will merely point out a few that are easy to hit and wide-spread among most humanoid beings. For the next ten days, you will continue to spar with Mittelt and Raynare, aiming to hit at these particular spots, until you have it down pat. I will also be giving you various advice on tactics a shinobi will often use if they find themselves in a fight."

"... I still don't trust them. They smell like Grigori."

"And I told you before, since they lost their wings, they're no more than superhuman. They can only achieve the smallest of light spears, which will prove useful as weapons for a ninja. Still, a nekomata will wipe the floor clean with them in a fight, let alone a nekoshou." I glance at my watch, realizing how late it is. "Hmmm, it's probably best I get going."

The nekoshou nods in understanding. "...What happens if I need you again?"

"Eh, just call out. I'll be around."

"... Thank you, sempai." She starts heading back to the mansion the Occult Research Club is staying at, but before she leaves, she turns around. "... Oh, senpai? Can you make sure Issei-senpai doesn't peek on us while we bathe tonight?"

"Ah? Aren't you afraid that I might as well?"

Koneko merely shakes her head. Seeing my eyebrow lift in question, she just says, "... I trust Senpai," and turns around, walking back to camp. My two maid ninjas-in-training glance at me appraisingly.

"I must say, Master, you work quickly when it come to girls around our size."

"Oooh, I'm getting jealous! Master, I know you have to make the cat fall for you, but please share some time with me!"

"Shut up, you two. I've already told you I'm not into lolis. And besides," I note with a sad smile. "You both know that girl is going to hate me in the end." Both maids nod sympathetically, fully aware of what I'm doing against my will. I may not like it, but we three have gradually grown on each other in the past few weeks. I still have my doubts about the two, but both of them have sworn loyalty to me. I can understand Mittelt, but Raynare switching her allegiance from her idol Azazel to me was surprising, to say the least. And as untrustworthy as Fallen Angels are (I mean, their entire existence originates from betraying heaven), I truly feel that these two are mine, in a manner of speaking. Now, it's up to me to get them to an acceptable level to be my followers.

"Now, time for more training," I grin sadistically, enjoying the slight tremble the two ex-Fallen Angels share. I'm not sure how loyal they'll be once I'm finished with them. And if I can get someone in mind to train them on being true maids, then I know they'll start to curse my name. … I am so going to enjoy this.

* * *

_Nine days later_

"Aaaahhhh. This is heaven."

Steam rises through the air all around me as I soak in a hot spring that was discovered just today. It's a perfect temperature, there's nothing around me that can interrupt my relaxation, and … yeah, like I moaned out earlier, this is heaven.

Then again, it would be a better heaven if Yasaka-sama and/or Grayfia Lucifrage-sama joined me. I start getting a lewd grin as I imagine the two enjoying this hot spring with me. All three of us, soaking, no clothes or towels separating our naked bodies from each other. The two of them start teasing me a bit, a little bit of naughty flirting, and then…

"... Lewd thoughts are prohibited."

I glance over to the other end of the hot springs where Koneko-chan is wrapped up in a towel, trying to figure out if she wanted to get into the pool or not. "Oh? And what if those lewd thoughts concerned a certain white-haired yokai, Koneko-chan?"

"... If Ise-senpai doesn't even think of me that way, then Roku-senpai would never think of me that way," I hear a soft mutter from that end, full of disappointment. Wait, she said something about Hyoudou-san… is she perhaps jealous that he doesn't see her in the same way as the other girls of the ORC? … Nah, it's probably the fact that all of the other girls have way too curvy of figures for high school students, and what with Koneko-chan basically being a loli.

Wait a minute, there was a scene like this in that erog~ errr, dating sim I used as training. I had to make the girl feel special and wanted… Ironically enough, this situation is probably going to be much more erotic than in the game itself.

"Umm, are you just going to … stand there, giving me a spectacular view… ahem … or are you … going to get in…" Oh my kami, this is embarrassing! I'm actually trying to hit on an elementary-student-look-a-like girl. Police! There is a pervert here! Please, take me away!

The elementary-student-look-a-like girl blushes a very deep shade of red that, even with the steam and the dimming light of the day, I can see very clearly. Obviously, not very many guys have even attempted to flirt with her, so this is extremely foreign territory for her. Not to mention this hot spring that Hyoudou-san unearthed after he blew the top off the mountain I and my ninja maids-in-training had been staying on wasn't relatively large in size. At max, four people could fit in it, so for Koneko-chan, this was most likely the first time she had ever been in such proximity with a near-naked guy. Still, she breathes in and, with a little hint of trepidation, she steps into the hot spring. The perfection of the water quickly engulfs her, and she lets out a sigh of satisfaction.

"Amazing, isn't it?"

"... Yes."

After that, we just sit awkwardly in the hot spring, actively trying not to look at each other, which is pretty hard since our feet are practically touching each others. Minutes tick by, each more awkward than the last, until I, with a tired sigh, give up and decide to talk to the girl. "So, enjoyed your week?"

"... Yes. Buchou had us working hard, and Roku-senpai taught me… well enough."

I chuckle. "I'm guessing you didn't really like what I taught you."

The little white-haired girl frowns slightly and thinks carefully about her answer. "... I understand why you taught me what you did, but it all seems… dirty."

"Well, hate to break it to you, kitty, but fighting… fighting is supposed to be dirty."

The girl looks at me for a minute, trying to keep herself from blurting out what I know she wants to say. I would have figured she knew I didn't care what she said after the past week we've spent with each other. Finally she relents. "... But you're a ninja. That's how you're taught."

That does it. I burst out laughing, gasping for breath, while Koneko-chan just stares at me, confused. "Ha… sorry about that. It's just that what you said is exactly what martial artists say all the time. Then they'll go and do exactly what I've taught you for the past week - break your elbows, shatter your knees, etc." The little girl looks slightly repulsed and looks like she wants to argue back at that, but I continue. "All that honor bullshit that samurai and knights sprout is just that: bullshit. Tell me, what are you trying to do in a fight?"

"... Defeat the foe."

"And how?" The girl looks at me incredulously, because the answer is pretty obvious. "By injuring them or knocking them out, correct? So, beating the crap out of people is suddenly an honorable thing? Punching them hard enough that it breaks bones and disfigures a face is good? Of course, if you keep going, you could easily kill the person. Kill. Do you seriously want me to believe that taking somebody's life in battle is seen as chivalrous? In the end, it's the same result as stabbing the person in the back: the victim is dead, and no matter how 'honorable' you were, that doesn't change."

Koneko-chan stares at me, eyes opening in comprehension. "... But, it seems so cruel. Hurting people like that."

"That's why I was teaching Mittelt and Raynare to do that to you as well: so that all three of you knew the pain you were causing. And by thinking it is cruel, then you have proven to me that it was right to teach you that."

"... Why?"

"It shows that you're not a monster."

As those words sink in, I notice a few tears in her eyes. It looks like I hit my mark. Okay, it might have been a cruel way to get to it, but I had to get it into Koneko-chan's head that power doesn't make the monster. The girl believes that, if she were to delve into using senjutsu, she would become like her sister: so consumed by power that she would attack and kill her own King. In her eyes, a monster. And to the King who has treated her like a little sister since they first met, Koneko-chan could never even consider doing that. It might still take a while. But this… knowing that she can choose to be a monster or not will help her learn to use senjutsu - it will ultimately save her life and the lives of her precious friends.

As this realization hits, the girl jumps onto my lap, crying into my chest. Okay, this is beyond my expectations. Still, I should allow her to cry. I mean, the girl probably bottles up all of her emotions, so letting her do this will only help. I pat her back, humming a soothing song, and wait until she starts to calm down a bit, giving out a few whimpers. "Hey, you alright?"

"... Yes." Koneko-chan leans back, blushing. "... Sorry about that, Roku-senp~"

Now, I know how unlucky in love I am. The type of women I'm interested in and prefer above all others - onee-samas - don't really look at guys who hide in the shadows and do a bunch of dirty work. Girls my age don't interest me. I'm engaged to an elementary school student and ordered to woo another girl who looks like one. I also have two loli maids, one of which is actively trying to lose her virginity to me and the other, I feel, wouldn't mind going along. So I sometimes think that I'm seriously cursed by whatever gods and goddesses of love there are.

Of course, that was before now. Now… now, I'm sure that I'm cursed. There's no other way to say it. I mean, how is it that, of all the things that could have happened, Koneko-chan's towel - that was tightly wrapped around her, by the way - should happen to come loose just as she is sitting on my lap?

And how, of all the time they could have come, do my two ninja maids-in-training decide to come to the hot springs at this precise minute?

… I seriously hate my life.

Mittelt acts like she normally does - she instantly rips off her towel and jumps in, eager to get in with whatever she imagines Koneko-chan and I were doing. I can't help but stare at her breasts that failed to shrink along with the rest of her body when she reverted back to the size of a cherub. For someone so small, those boobs sure are enticing. Like a forbidden fruit, just waiting to be taken hold of an~ STOP THINKING LIKE THAT, ROKUDOU!

Raynare, on the other hand, casually lets her towel fall to the ground, which I have to admit is pretty sexy on her part. Oddly enough, Raynare seems much more mature than when she had her wings. She seems more reserved, more considerate, more innocent - which, when combined with the fact that she willingly shows her naked body to me, makes a very… intoxicating gap~ ROKUDOU, I SWEAR I WILL KILL MYSELF IF YOU KEEP THINKING STUFF LIKE THAT!

And then there's the naked girl on my lap. Her body is completely frozen in shock and embarrassment. That's understandable. She's never been in a situation like this before. It probably doesn't help that she feels something getting bigger underneath her. Ugh, hormones, how I hate you so! Still, her face getting redder and redder just make me want to tease her~ THAT'S IT! I AM NOT A LOLICON!

"Um, Koneko-chan, I need you to do something for me," I calmly tell the nekoshou. She doesn't stop blushing, but she cocks her head, confused at my lack of nerves or excitement in my voice. "Please hit me in the face as hard as you can."

"... What?"

"Knock me out and, if you can, make sure I can't remember anything that has happened in the last ninety seconds. I think that is best."

Kuoh's mascot nods in understanding before she winds up. I smile in relief as the fist of divine punishment descends to deliver its judgment upon me. Ah, unconsciousness, I welcome thee with open arms...


	9. Nekomata of the Club Trip: Life 3

"Ugh, I feel so sore."

"Come on, Issei! Did you see the promised land?"

"Yeah, did you get a glimpse of the naked girls?"

"Well, Motohama and Matsuda… I might have glimpsed Asia, but I never even got close to the others," the Issei in question sadly relates to his two idiot friends. "It seemed like every time I got close, something hit me in the head."

That was my fist hitting your head sixteen times, you moron. You'd think after the first three the pathetic excuse of a devil would have figured it out, but NOOOO! His freaking lust kept pushing him to peek. I was so tempted to kill him after the eighth time. Had the trip lasted one more day, there would have been a new Sekiryuutei born into the world. Quite frankly, I could potentially take him out with no one being the wiser, but that's only if Kyoto orders it. And considering how excited they are that a Ryuutei is actually Japanese, most likely that will never happen.

"... Senpai?"

"Oh, Koneko-chan! You ready for tonight?"

"... Yes, thanks to Roku-senpai, I feel much more prepared."

Surprisingly, the nekoshou has decided to walk with me to school today. She's walking quite close…

"Hey, you bastard! How do you know Koneko-chan?"

"Stay away from her!"

"Hey, I recognize you! You're the good-looking bad boy bastard who's in pretty boy Kiba's class! You're pretty popular with the girls!"

Oh great, the Perverted Trio caught sight of us. It doesn't help that one of them is a self-proclaimed lolicon with a massive crush on the girl beside me and another is her overprotective idiot teammate who wants any cute girl.

"You know, if you three stopped ogling every girl you came across, or at the very least hid your perverted natures, you'd probably get a girlfriend. There's more than enough girls here that someone would end up desperate enough to say yes."

"Wait! Does that mean Koneko-chan and you are dating?" The Sexual Harassment Baldy starts wailing in agony at the prospect that he could never hook up with his favorite girl in the entire school. Not that he ever had a chance in the first place.

"Hohoho. To think, Kurotani-san has the same interests as you, Matsuda. I wonder what the entire school would think of this."

"Down with ikemens! Let's hurry up, Motohama and Matsuda!" The Perverted Trio suddenly make a mad dash to the school, leaving me flabbergasted at the possibility that I am on the same level of idiocy as one of them… NO! Get back here so that I can put you into a coma! I am not a lolicon! Besides, only morons would take what I said and correlate that to me being in a relationship with the school's masco~ Actually, now that I think about it, I could see how they connected what I said with going out with her. … NOOOOOOOO! I can't be on their level! I can't!

"... There, there, Roku-senpai," soothes Koneko-chan, comforting me as I have a breakdown on the street. "... Everything will be alright."

"Easy for you to say! The image you've built up for the past few years isn't about to crash down and be destroyed! And it's going to be replaced with me being a … a… NOOOO!"

"... You've… built up an image?"

"... Noo…. Haha, what are you talking about Koneko-chan? Stop making such funny jokes. Here, eat some candy, Koneko-chan," I force a grin on my face, quickly stuffing some junk food into the nekoshou's mouth.

"Is that Kurotani-san, the school's delinquent? What's he doing to Koneko-chan?"

"He's giving her candy..."

"Does Kurotani-san have that kind of taste?"

… Why, why did three girls from my school just have to see me doing this just now? My life, the life I created from my imagination so I can better infiltrate Kuoh Academy is crumbling into ruins! DAMN YOU ELDERS! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!

* * *

Truth be told, I'm not very good at sympathy. I mean, in my point of view, shit happens, and you just have to get through it. Granted, it might get kind of deeper than you would ever want, but you'll be stronger once you get back to land.

Of course, that's not what you say to a girl who just lost her freedom and might eventually become a sex slave to some blonde big-headed pervert.

So, what is an unsympathetic man supposed to do to comfort an adorable girl who's crying after losing a match of such high stakes? Pat her back and tell her it's all going to be alright? Hug her to she calms down? Yell at her to make her stop crying and face the music?

Of course, I didn't try that last one. I mean, I need Koneko-chan to fall in love with me, not hate me for the rest of her life - which could be a very long time, since she's a devil with a great chance at extending her absurdly long life through senjutsu. No, I tried the other two options, which invariably proved horrifyingly awkward.

Next training: social skills.

So, after trying a ridiculous hug, with a few "reassuring" pats on the back, and figuring out rather quickly that those actions went nowhere, I'm stuck sitting across from a teary-eyed white-haired nekoshou. She's so emotional now, her tail that she hides has popped out and her cat ears twitch around. I mean, seeing her in this extremely sad state is making all my protective instincts go haywire. You try sitting there, watching an unbearably cute little girl cry. I'm sure every single guy would want to take her in their arms, eager to fight off any and all evil that comes across her.

Huh, maybe I'm starting to see this girl as a little sister. That … I can live with that. Of course, that whole "she's your future mistress" thing would probably close the door on that one quickly, but it'll allow me to get closer with her. Of course, the day she calls me any derivation of "onii-chan" is the day each and every elder mysteriously disappears off the face of the earth, but that's left for another day.

"... Ro~ Roku-s~senpai, what sh~should I d~do?"

Tough question. Time to stall… Okay, ways to calm a crying girl… give her ice cream? Hey, I heard that usually works! And I'm at the Koneko-chan's place, so she's bound to have _some_ ice cream… "Just a sec, Koneko-chan. Let's see here… Cherry maple syrup? Chocolate green tea? What type of flavors are these?"

Luckily, Koneko-chan figured out my actions. "... I wike zem mixed…" She snuffles, somehow making it understandable enough. I secretly blanch at this but her teary eyes make me quickly pile as much of each as possible. And I thought the puppy-eye look was the most effective of all pouting.

I'm just about to bring it out when a bright light envelopes the apartment, shocking the nekoshou. A transportation circle? It has the Gremory crest on it, so maybe it's a team member of Koneko's? … Wait, if that's the case, then what the hell am I doing here? I've got to activate my Sacred Gear quick to find a way to escape… why is Koneko-chan hiding behind me, holding onto my arm like it's her last lifeline? No, Koneko-chan, I'm a ninja! I can't be seen, so let go!

Unfortunately, before I can get her off me and find somewhere to escape, the mysterious figure appears, gracefully walking out of the light. "Ah, Kurotani-sama, I am glad you are here."

"... Excuse me?"

"Shall we sit down?" The visitor beckons towards the couches, which I find somewhat odd, since she's not really the host of the apartment. Still, I sit down, waiting for her to continue. "I believe we were not properly introduced last time. Please accept my humblest apologies. My name is~"

"Oh, I know your name. What I want to know is why are you glad to see me, Lucifrage-sama?"

That's right, the number one beauty in all the underworld, Grayfia Lucifrage herself, is somehow in Koneko-chan's living room, and the first one she recognizes is me. Something isn't right. And that doesn't include Koneko-chan finding herself a seat… on my lap? I mean, sure, I guess she can get comfortable, since she knows the Maou's wife firsthand, but why on my lap? And Koneko-chan, isn't it rude to eat ice cream in front of a guest?

The devil smirks ever so slightly, which oddly makes her all the more beautiful. Well, I've always wanted an onee-chan teasing me, so seeing one of this scale with such a seductive smirk makes me seriously want to bow down and start worshipping her. I still have to play smart here, though, so I try to avoid any more lewd thoughts. It doesn't help that her superb rack is like a magnet for any wandering eyes.

"Kurotani-sama, it is alright to interrupt what I say, since I am merely the head maid of the Gremory. However, if you were to speak so rudely in front of, say, the Maou, you would not live to see the next minute."

"Ah, sorry about that. Bad habit from my dad - he's used to barking orders and hates it when people say something that really wasn't necessary." I scratch my head sheepishly. Has it been this long in front of a beautiful older woman that I've become skittish? Ugh… I've really got to stay away from these lolis.

Grayfia-sama curves her lips a little, still trying to look professional despite my clear patheticness. "As I was saying, I was hoping to meet you, Kurotani-sama. I have a… business proposition for Kyoto."

Wow, this is news. I have to wonder who this is from - the Maou or Gremory? Seeing as this really isn't an appropriate time for the Head of the Gremory to try a sneaky deal, I'm inclined to say it's from a little higher up, but it's best to confirm. "And what exactly is Sirzechs-sama willing to offer, Lucifrage-sama?"

Again, the gray-haired beauty shows a hint of emotion, her eyebrows lifting in surprise, though it quickly morphs into as professional as it could be. "I believe it is more common that he that is offered usually hears the terms of the deal first, rather than his reward."

"Eh, it's just a habit of mine, taught by my father. He says that often times, the guy proposing the deal will read the other's face to see if he could lowball them. By getting a set price out in the open, it allows me to figure out whether I can get more from the deal or not."

"And I thought devils were masters at swindling. Maybe we should be wary of you kitsune," Grayfia-sama praises, another slight smirk forming on her face. "Very well. However, I must say that this deal is strictly personal; in no way is any other devil apart of this. This is strictly between Sirzechs-sama and Kyoto. And Sirzechs-sama is willing to offer any price for your cooperation."

"Any price? That's pretty big. He must be desperate." I eye the older devil suspiciously. "Please don't tell me that he's desperate enough to kill. Even though I'm trained to do it, Kyoto would prefer it if I kept myself out of another faction's business, especially if it is outside of our sphere of influence."

Grayfia-sama shakes her head. "No, Sirzechs-sama expressly stated that no one was to be permanently harmed in this endeavor. However, I must stress to you that this entire operation we are asking for you to orchestrate is strictly off the books. If any devil leader found out about what we are planning, Sirzechs-sama may indeed lose his seat as Maou."

"And that could cause a chain reaction to a second civil war, correct?" The maid merely nods her head. Sighing, I motion for her to continue. "Carry on, Lucifrage-sama. Let's hear what you want me to do. After that, we can decide on my price."

* * *

"EEEEKKK!"

Oh damn, I forgot about knocking. I guess I really should consider not using my Sacred Gear to enter other people's homes. Otherwise, I may just startle innocent blonde former nuns.

"Ah, sorry about that. It's Asia-san, right?"

The brand new bishop of the Gremory clan tries to get her breathing back to normal. Despite the fright, she appears to welcome me in. "Ano, yes. But may I kindly ask who you are?"

Oh dear, this girl really is innocent. "I'd prefer not telling you that." The girl gives an understanding nod and turns back to caring for her comatose friend. "...You know, I'm currently trespassing, having used a mysterious power to bypass what most likely was several barriers. I'm dressed from head-to-toe in black, and most would assume that I am some ninja. Shouldn't you be in the least worried that I might be here for the wrong reasons?"

… Oh my kami, I can seriously see question marks popping up around her head. The sheer naivete of this girl is something to behold. I wave her lack of concern off and walk up to the boy resting in his bed.

"Do you know Ise-san?"

"Huh? I guess you could say we've met in passing sometimes. I try to keep him from peeking on girls, including at baths in the mountains." The girl picks up on this and instantly comprehends my meaning. Hmm, so she's not dumb. Still, noticing the slight grimace of disappointment, I say this girl sees the pervert as someone more than a friend. "Oh my god."

"Thou shalt not take the Lord the God's name in va~ Oww!" Asia grasps her head, having forgotten to refrain from reciting scriptures of her previous life. She shakes her head (cutely, I admit, though I can't say I'm attracted to it) and questions me on why I stand there shocked. A few minutes later her face turns bright red, clearly embarrassed at what I had just said, confirming it as truth. I shake my head; for someone to actually fall in love with this guy who thinks with his penis… unbelievable.

"You won't tell him, will you?"

"Oh, too embarrassed about your crush?"

"Th~ That's not it!" The girl bows her head, still completely red, and mumbles her reasons. "He~ He loves Rias-buchou."

"Asia-san, knowing this idiot, he'll be more than happy to go out with you."

The girl looks up, full of hope. "Really?"

"Doesn't he want a harem? Last time I checked, that entails more than two girls; I'm sure one of them could easily be a blonde, innocent bishoujo." Seeing her smile happily, I couldn't help but tease her a little bit more. "And here I thought nuns were supposed to be celibate. Also, whatever happened to 'thou shalt not commit adultery'?"

Her face instantly goes a deeper shade of red. Innocent girls are so fun to tease. "Th~ That~"

"Hahaha. Relax, you're a devil, remember? Feel free to lust after this idiot, though you might have to wait until Rias-san's route is conquered, which might happen sooner than later. And I better warn you that quite a few girls from school will seriously worry if anything is wrong with you. The guy isn't very popular, as I'm sure you've figured out by now." The girl nods, smiling knowingly. I shake my head again, bewildered. Still, I better get to why I'm here now. "So, shall we wake up your crush?"

The girl blushes a little bit more at my words but nods again. "How will you do that? I've healed all his injuries, but he still won't get up."

A small flame of foxfire pops to life in my open palm. The blonde bishop shivers at the sadistic grin that adorns my face despite it hiding behind a mask. "Maybe he needs to be warmed up?" And before Asia-san can do anything, I light up his amazingly horrible hair like a Christmas tree.

His response is exactly what I expected: him jumping five feet in the air, waving his arms around, trying to put out the fire on his head while screaming like an Irish banshee. I grin like a Cheshire cat, happy at my little prank. After a few minutes of watching one of the best scenes in my life, a snap of my fingers makes the flames disappear, leaving the weed of a haircut just as it was before.

"Oh, thank~ Hey, you're the guy who showed up with my Boosted Gear!"

"Greetings, Sekiryuutei-sama! How are you feeling?"

"I… I'm feeling pretty good."

"You can thank Asia-san here, along with her amazing application of her Twilight Healing."

"Thanks Asia… Hey, wait a minute! How do you know about her Sacred Gear?"

"I returned Boosted Gear to you, remember? Wouldn't it be slightly conceivable that I have almost complete knowledge of what happened the night you guys attacked the abandoned church?"

"Oh, yeah, I guess."

"Ise-san, I think we can trust him," pipes Asia-san in helpfully. I give a slight nod of gratitude and then turn to Hyoudou-san. "So, Sekiryuutei-sama, today is the day of the engagement party."

"Engagement party? You mean Rias'? Then that means we~ l~" The young man trails off, depression setting in.

"Yes, you lost, though a great many of the higher-level Devils were reportedly quite impressed with your conviction, Sekiryuutei-sama. I must say, continuing to get up even after losing consciousness is quite impressive. In fact, someone else was wishing to commend yo~ ah, here she is." A bright light announcing the arrival of someone through a transportation circle engulfs the room. "Asia-san, perhaps you should get a cool towel for Sekiryuutei-sama. And if possible, drinks would be welcome." The blonde devil acknowledges my request and heads out of the room just as a gray-haired maid steps out of the light.

"Ah, I see you are awake," observes Grayfia-sama. The boy just stares blankly ahead, depressed. The maid turns to me, asking me silently whether I told him the outcome of the match, to which I nod in the affirmative. She sighs and wearily asks, "Can't you come to an agreement with this, Hyoudou-san?"

The high school student hurriedly looks up at her, anger and jealousy flaring up in in his eyes. "No, I can't accept it! Buchou doesn't even like that bastard, and she has to marry him? There is no fucking way!"

Grayfia-sama chuckles at this. Hyoudou-san looks up sharply at her, but before he can berate my goddess for showing a softer side, I step in. "Think, Sekiryuutei-sama. I said some of the higher-level devils were interested in you. Now, who does this woman work for?"

It takes a few minutes, but the idiot figures it out. "The Maou…"

At this, the head maid of the Gremory holds out a small piece of paper. "My Master, Sirzechs-sama, says, and I quote: 'If you want to save my sister, barge in the hall.' This will allow you to get to and from the hall where the engagement party is. I trust that you will need it." She then turns to me, stares to make sure her message is clear, and then disappears in the light of another transportation circle. I look back at Rias-san's shocked pawn and smirk. This might be a little more fun than I anticipated.

"So, Sekiryuutei-sama, have you heard any weird voices lately?"

"Wait, what?"

"You know, voices that seem to come from inside your mind, that only you can hear?"

"Er… maybe. But that makes me sound shizo~ schiso~"

"Schizophrenic? Well, it would… if you didn't have that red gauntlet."

"Huh? What does Boosted Gear have anything to do with this?"

"Boosted Gear has everything to do with this, you moron. After all, it's basically the soul of one of the two most powerful dragons of all time."

"Ah! So that's what that red dragon from my dreams was talking about!"

"... You mean, your King hasn't explained to you properly what a Sacred Gear is?"

"She just explained that it was something given to famous humans. Also that desire can make it stronger."

… You've got to be kidding me. She expects this brainless peon to grow stronger without actually letting him know how to? "... Sekiryuutei-sama, please hear me out and don't get mad when I say this: your King is an idiot."

"WHA~"

"Why would she ignore explaining you the basic details of a Sacred Gear? Desire? Sure, it helps… but getting to know the spirit behind your Boosted Gear is faster and easier."

"Huh?"

Suddenly a reddish glow starts shining from his left arm, and then his gauntlet pops out. [He's right, brat.]

Hyoudou-kun jumped in surprise, probably because this was the first time Boosted Gear popped up without him calling for it. I shake my head, wondering how this idiot is still alive. I mean, the minute Kyoto became aware that I had a Sacred Gear, they were instructing me on how I could communicate with whatever spirit was stored within Night Reflection. By the way, it's a shadow person, for anybody who wants to know.

Anyways, back to the topic at hand… "Ah, do I have the pleasure of talking to the Red Dragon himself?"

"Red Dragon? You can hear Ddraig?" Hyoudou-kun cuts in, but is simply ignored. Instead, my attention is on his left arm.

[Yeah, you seem awfully smart when it comes to stuff like this.]

"Eh, to hear it from someone that made God and the Maou scared is embarrassing."

[Huh, flattery. At least someone here knows what he's talking about.]

Dragons. All of them are the same: praise them, and they lap it up. Hyoudou-san is too confused right now, but give him a couple months with a few victories under his belt, and that dragon attribute is going to be a little exhausting. What's even scarier is that he's going to get a ton of women, too… To think, the idiot will probably fulfill his dream within the year. Then again, considering how dense the pervert is, it might be pretty fun watching him be completely clueless at the harem antics that will surely be happening.

Leaving those thoughts aside, I look back up at the Boosted Gear's wielder who has a confused look on his face. "So, Sekiryuutei-sama, I'm assuming you want to find a way to beat the Phenex."

"Huh? Oh yeah! I need to beat the yakitori's ass down!"

"What do you know about Balance Breaker?"

"... Huh?"

"... Red Dragon…"

[Brat, listen up! You're weak!]

Hyoudou-san slumps down at that. Hearing your own tool berate you must be pretty damn depressing. Oddly enough, the Shadow Person hidden inside Night Reflection seemed pretty optimistic and cheerful when I was learning her capabilities, always thrilled about the littlest things I could use her for.

I tend to ignore whatever she says nowadays, so that cheerfulness has basically become complaining.  
[Stop being such a pussy!] Ddraig, noticing his partner's mood, yells at him like a drill sergeant. [The White One will just kill you if you act so pathetic.] Hyoudou-san looks like he wants to ask a question, but before he could, he notices my head shaking. Now is not the time. [Anyways, you, brat, are weak… but luckily for you, I'm a dragon. And let me tell you, dragons aren't weak. No, we take what we want and don't give a fuck.]

"Sekiryuutei-sama, Sacred Gears, by themselves, are relatively powerful. But that's their basic form. If you have enough 'desire,' as your King said, and if you have enough of a reason, they can go up a rank."

[Yeah, and believe me, brat, Boosted Gear's Balance Breaker is no joke. I didn't put the fear of God into the Big Guy Himself by frolicking in a field of daisies.]

"Cool! So, with this Balance Breaker, I can defeat Raizer?"

[There's no "can" about it. Raizer is nothing more than chicken shit when compared to my Scale Mail.]

"That's so awesome! How can I get that?!"

[By leveling yourself up by a ton and facing death.]

"... Wait! Buchou's engagement party is tonight! I can't 'level up' or 'face death'! There's not enough time!"

[Yeah. You're not ready for my full Scale Mail.] Hyoudou-san slumps down again after having it confirmed from his left arm. [But that doesn't mean you can't use a weaker version of it. Granted, you won't be able to hold it long, but it should be more than enough to take out that Phenex bastard.]

Hearing that, an excited grin spreads across the perverted devil's face. Huh, so the guy has a little battlelust in him. That's interesting… "That's great and all, but are you sure he'll stay down after whatever time limit you have? He is immortal, after all."

The two are silent for a few minutes. I'm starting to wonder if the dragon is an idiot too for not having figured that out.

Luckily, the resident nun stumbles into the room. I blink. Hyoudou-san blinks. If Ddraig were there, he would have blinked. And then all of us share a … devilish grin looking at her. The girl takes a step back in fear at the rising killing intent that is emitting from her perverted crush and me.

"Yes. That should be perfect."

* * *

"So you sent him off to take on a high-level devil like that?" Raynare asks me in an incredulous voice. I glance around at the family restaurant we're in, noticing the glances by the various customers. Meh, they're probably thinking I'm some older brother talking to his younger sisters about some game that the younger ones seem to enjoy.

"Hmm? Yeah, there was nothing much more."

Raynare also notices the onlooking customers and hushes down a bit. "You just sent him to take on a Phenex with a little advice?"

"Well, I wouldn't say it was a little. After all, I did help him come up with a way to get a limited Balance Break. Team that up with Holy Water and a cross, and even the Maou would flinch, let alone some second-rate narcissist who thinks way too highly of himself."

".. That, actually makes a lot of sense."

"What do you expect, Ray-chan? Master is good at planning; of course he'd come up with something to take out a devil. Master, please let Micchan reward you tonight 3!"

"Rejected." The blonde ex-Grigori really should know better by now. "Anyways, I'm actually somewhat concerned about the pervert. I mean, given the nature of Boosted Gear, it's not a surprise that he could add stuff to it. But by adding any amount of the holiness element, he's become a serious threat among the devils. There's an actual chance he could kill the Phenex."

Both of the fallen maids are absolutely shocked at this turn of events. "Wait, when you say add…"

"There's a reason why your old God gave Sacred Gears to humans. Unlike you and others from all the pantheons and such, humans have imagination." This just leaves the two completely confused. "Think of it this way - humans are by far the weakest of the sentient beings on this planet. Unlike you Grigori, humans can't shoot light spears out of thin air, they can't fly, and they can't live hundreds and thousands of years. And yet, they've developed a weapon that could easily obliterate the angel you two practically worship, along with however many troops he has at the time. And you only have to look at two cities in this country to know its true.

"Now imagine what humans could do with something like a Sacred Gear. I'm going to tell you now, I'm nowhere near the upper echelon of Sacred Gear users, but I could potentially take on a few of your leaders and come out alive. Not victorious, but still alive. And the abilities of my Sacred Gear are relatively limited compared to what Boosted Gear can do. That thing can be an absolute monster - it's purpose is to keep adding power until it's strong enough to take on anything and anyone. And if that means adding stuff that would normally prove detrimental to the holder, then so be it. As the dragon himself said, it 'takes what it wants, and doesn't give a fuck.' All that matters is the limit of imagination of the Sekiryuutei."

Raynare and Mittelt just sit there, mouths agape, horrified at the possibilities that the Sacred Gear could achieve. The black-haired maid lets out a hoarse whisper, muttering darkly: "I should have killed him when I had the chance."

I chuckle a bit at that. "You know, you might actually have a point there. If I had actually known what he had when I stumbled on you two in the park, I may have just let you do it. Still, I really doubt he'll be too much trouble in the future. The pervert has a one track mind, and it has nothing to do with battle and bloodlust."

Mittelt giggles at this, while Raynare nods her head in understanding. After all, from what she told me, Hyoudou-san had simply stared at her breasts for most of their date. Of course, she also admitted she purposely showed it off in order to lure him. Recalling the maid's ample chest before she reverted into chibi form made me actually give the pervert the benefit of doubt for once. I probably would have had trouble focusing on her face if she had been attempting to seduce me, too. Luckily, loli form had nothing to seduce me with… flashes of a hot spring incidence notwithstanding. Damn, Koneko must have not hit me hard enough.

"By the way, Master, didn't you say that the Maou's wife hired you to help the Sekiryuutei? What was the price?"

"Oh, about that…"

"Wait, are you blushing, Master?"

"Oooh, an embarrassed Master is definitely a cute Master 3!"

"Shut up!" Calm, self, calm. "Ahem. I had a few requests. First was a decent sum of money."

"... Go on," deadpan the two simultaneously. Damn them.

"I then asked for a photo album of Lucifrage-sama."

"... That's not why he's blushing."

"Yeah, Master is quite vocal in his preference for older women. Being given porn by the number one beauty of the devils wouldn't embarrass him at all."

"It's not porn! I'm not that disgusting!" Seeing the two waiting patiently, ignoring my attempts to avoid my true price, I relent. "And… I might have asked if the devil side would be angry if I date Koneko-chan," I mutter in an extremely quiet voice, my face completely flush.

The two have their eyes widened to their fullest. They slowly turn to each other, blink, and then burst out laughing extremely loudly. Quite a few customers look completely affronted by the lack of proper manners of the two girls, but all of that is ignored.

"Oi, it's not that funny."

"And here I thought Master wasn't into younger girls!"

"I'm not!"

"Then why is your face as red as a tomato?"

"Well… I … I don't know! It might be because I'm embarrassed about being forced into a relationship that I really don't want!"

"Sure."

"Really? How would you two feel if Azazel all of the sudden forced you to marry someone you really didn't know?"

That shut them up. It's obvious that the two had never even considered the possibility that their beloved leader would use them so openly. Up until Dohnaseek ripped their wings off their shoulders, they're lives were pretty good. They had the freedom to do what they wanted. Sure, now they are forced to become my maids, but that is more due to my ability to protect them than anything. In the end, they're still getting a good deal out of this. Whereas my life is centered around being passed between people like a trading card for the good of Kyoto. Devils aren't any better, since they're using some girl that already has identity problems. It's like our leaders see as nothing more…

"Your leaders see you as nothing more than a pawn, don't they?" I jump up, startled at the new voice that announced my own thoughts aloud. My head swivels around, trying to find whoever read my mind. It doesn't take long to find him.

There, sitting at a neighboring table, is a single man - if you can call him a man. If I had to compare him to anything, it would be an elf, thanks to his oddly pointed ears poking out of his long, black hair. He may have been beautiful in the past, but now his features are sharp, as if every inch of his face was put under a whetting stone and polished until it could cut air. And every sharp edge seems like it's pointing to his eyes, scarlet and piercing. His eyes capture mine, forcing me to look into them - into him - forcing me to look into the soul and allow me to determine the truth: that there is nothing there but madness. Pure, unadulterated insanity. A raw, primitive emotion, desperately wanting to be free and rip, tear, and kill anyone and everyone.

An endless feeling of bloodlust.

My two companions instantly choke on whatever they were swallowing. Yet despite their coughing fits, their eyes never waver from the man, as if they recognize him. Searching them, I find that they are sharing the same unearthly feeling - sheer terror. I may not know who this is, but I know that he could kill me without a second thought and, even more frightening, without any regret. My breath starts going haggard, and my chest clenches up in a cold chill.

"So, Mr. Pawn, if you fulfill your duty and inform those leaders: in one month, I plan to start a war, the likes of which this planet has not seen since arch-angels and Satans begged each other for some respite. It will consume the Underworld. It will consume Heaven. And it will consume Japan. I already plan on having some devils and exorcists invited over as guests for the commencement - perhaps someone from your end can show up as well? If not, it doesn't matter - my war will happen here. In one month." And with that, the man stands up and walks out of the restaurant, chuckling darkly.

My eyes flash over to Mittelt and Raynare, asking them without words. After a few minutes, they gain control over their breath, enough to utter a single name: "Kokabiel."

Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. This is bad. This is very bad. Kyoto has to hear this, and as soon as possible. I can't deal with this. Neither can those devils. No one around can.

And if there is no one at all, then war is coming.

May whatever God out there help us.

* * *

**Hello, everybody, and once again, welcome to another chapter in the life of Kurotani Rokudou. It's been awhile - and I mean awhile. I have to admit, I was completely lost for a while there. I mean, I wanted to incorporate Rokkun into the Rating Game somehow, but that just became impossible. I also wanted him to meet a certain someone, but there was nothing that could make sense. And so, I had this happen - Rokkun and his ninja maids meeting a certain Fallen Angel. I have some interesting ideas for Kokabiel - he will be slightly different from canon, but not too much. I mean, there are some fics on this site that paint a very different Star of God very well, but there is a reason he fell. I'm hoping to give a new spin to him.**

**I also got my first negative responses! Too bad they were from guests, which often mean little. One guest, however, brought up a very good point: harem stealing. I know, Koneko fell in love with Issei in canon, so it should stay that way. It's just I never really liked _how_ Koneko fell for Issei. For four books, she hated him. Then he says something along the lines of "I don't really know what happened, but I believe in Koneko!" and she instantly is head over heels for him. That's poor form, even for something in the harem genre. So, the fanfic author relenteth, and the fanfic author taketh away. Don't worry: Issei will still have most of his girls, and potentially a couple more. And for future warning: there will be one more girl that is definitely in Issei's current harem that will be removed, mostly because the reasoning for her interest is even worse than Koneko's.**

**Anyway, I'll probably write an epilogue for Nekomata and the Club Trip still. I hope you enjoy it.**

**Cheers!**


	10. Nekomata of the Club Trip: Nine Lives

"I will not allow you to do this to my cute servant, Grayfia!"

"It cannot be helped, Ojou-sama. In order for you to avoid the engagement to the Phenex, a deal was made."

"But I just went through all that! Why should Koneko have to go through the same ordeal?"

… Buchou and Grayfia-san don't know it, but I can hear everything they say. I know who they are talking about.

… Me.

… It was supposed to be a celebration. Ise-sempai was actually cool and beat the yakitori pervert. He had done it to save Buchou, but he also saved Akeno-sempai, Asia-sempai, and me.

… I was shocked that Ise-sempai could be reliable. He is always a pervert who only has lewd thoughts in his head. But Ise-sempai rescued Buchou with a good idea, and had punched the yakitori pervert in the center, just like I taught him.

… I was happy.

… But then I noticed Grayfia-san's _ki_ seemed sad, even though she helped with the plan. Grayfia-san called Buchou over to discuss something. Akeno-sempai followed. The others were busy celebrating, Ise-sempai talking to Yuuto-sempai about swords and Asia-sempai acting like normal. Buchou and they forgot I could listen really well. They forgot that nekomata have really powerful senses.

… Like a monster.

… No, I can't think like that. Roku-sempai told me I'm not a monster. He told me I can choose to be me. I trust Roku-sempai.

… Or at least, I thought I did.

"Ojou-sama, she will still be your servant. No one can take her away from you. But Koneko-sama has been chosen as a mistress to a young kitsune from a family with much influence. They seek to restore the nekomata line, and see the kitsune as a way to accomplish that."

… The only kitsune I know is Roku-sempai.

… Did Roku-sempai know about this? Did he only help me to get closer to me?

… And I thought I liked Roku-sempai. But he only used me. Just like that time.

… Buchou keeps defending me, but I know it's useless. She had her wish come true, but there were consequences. And I am left to suffer from her choices.

… Just like Onee-sama.

… I quietly leave the room, careful to not let anyone see me crying. Tonight was to be a happy night. I want the others to enjoy it.

… I'm a monster. I'm not supposed to enjoy it.

* * *

**And thus ends Nekomata of the Club trip, which I ended on, what I believe, a fitting note. It's really short, but I hope you enjoyed something from Koneko's point of view. I'm sorry about all the ellipsis (or the three doubts at the beginning of each paragraph), but that's the way she talks. It's so adorably sad! Oh, I wish I could just hug her and tell her everything will be alright!**

**... Anyways, next up is Holy Swords of the Sports Festival. **


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